
Qass. 



, ■-T' // 



Book_,_ 



History of the 

Town of Coventry 



■By- 



Oliver P. Judd 



History of the 

Town of Coventry 



from the first white 
man's log hut, with all 
the most important 
events, down to the 
present time. 




. . . BY . . . 

OLIVER P. JUDD 
COVENTRY, N. Y. 



9 nd 



Fiz9 



1912 
THE OXFORD REVIEW 
Oxford. N. Y. 



Introduction 



The author of this work never expected until lately to make his ap- 
pearance in this manner before the public. When he commenced writing 
this history he only intended to write a little sketch and put it in a news- 
paper for the benefit of the public. After a few articles had been publish- 
ed, fellow townsmen appealed and urged him, contrary to his own wishes, 
to look up and write a larger and much more complete history of the 
town. After due consideration he consented to do so. It has cost a lot of 
hard work and a great deal of time to compile it, getting only a portion 
of it from any history, while the greater part had to be gleaned from the 
older inhabitants, which had to be done by traveling from house to house, 
making well on to a hundred miles, so you see it was no easy task to get 
up this history as most of the traveling was done on foot. Now if the 
reader should see some slight mistake I hope he will forgive, for he must 
remember that it had to be gleaned from old people that were 70 and 80 
years old, and who at that age can have a memory so keen that they might 
not make some slight mistake; for they all had to tell it from memory. 
But on the whole I think it is as perfect as any history can be. 

The writer has put in some incidents, anecdotes, and some thrilling 
scenes, showing the physical strength and courage, and the determined 
will of our forefathers in coming into the then new country covered with 
dense forests, inhabited by wild beasts and the more dreaded savage foe, 
the red man, to make homes for themselves and their posterity. He has 
also put in several poems, which are very appropriate, written for special 
occasions by the poet and poetess of the town. It also contains all the 
most important events that have ever happened in the town. The mothers 
in those early times had much to do with shaping the destiny of the town, 
most of .hem coming from Connecticut, of the old Puritan stock. They 
could not bear to see the Sabbath day desecrated, so they held meetings 
every Sabbath, going from house to house, holding some kind of a religious 
meeting till the first church in town was organized. 

The author submits this history to the public in the hope that those 



1^ HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 

who read it will be inspired with as much of the spirit of courage, fidelity 
to home, of patriotism for country and brotherly love for each other as 
has been shown from the thousands of incidents; of courage and bravery 
with which our forefathers were inspired, scenes that are close to the 
human heart and which bring with them the glow of manhood and w'oman- 
hood.showing the test of their courage and their heroism of everyday life. 
NOTE: — The reader will find the words "old Chenango road" a good 
many times in the history. The younger people probably don't know what 
it means or where it is, or how it came there. In the Revolutionary war, 
before pioneers ever set foot on this soil to claim it, the Indians rose up 
against the whites in Wyoming Valley, Penn., and massacred them with 
great slaughter, also in Cherry Valley, N. Y. General Sullivan with several 
thousand men and cannon was sent out from Philadelphia to subdue the 
savage foe. After subduing them at Wyoming he started for Cherry 
Valley, coming through Elmira and Binghamton, thence to Chenango 
Forks, from there he wanted to go to Bainbridge which was at that time 
a solid wilderness. So he had to cut his road through coming by the way 
of North Fenton, through Lower Page Brook by the white school house 
and where Henry Spencer now lives, and Guy Wylie's up the hill, the 
Matthew Hoyt place, Thomas Tifft farm down by the Pearsall farm and 
so on through Wilkins Settlement, if I am informed right, and through to 
Bainbridge. This was the old Chenango road known as the Chenango and 
Catskill turnpike and the first road in town. The one now running from 
Greene to Bainbridge is part of the old Catskill and Ithaca turnpike. 

OLIVER P. JUDD. 



History of the To\A/n of Coventry 



By Oliver P. Judd 



CHAPTER I. 
Coventry was formed from Greene 
February 7, 1806, and derives its 
name from Coventry in Connecticut, 
from vi'hence the first settlers came. 
Greene was formed March 15, 1798, 
from Union, Broome county, and 
Jericho, now Bainbridge, all three 
then in Tioga county and was in 
honor of General Nathaniel Greene, 
of Revolutionary fame. Parts of 
Greene and Oxford were annexed to 
Coventry in 1843. It lies near the 
center of the south border of Che- 
nango county and is bounded on the 
north by Oxford, on the east by 
Bainbridge and Afton, on the south 
by Afton and also Colesville in 
Broome county, and on the west by 
Greene. It occupies the ridge that 
forms the watershed between the 
streams that flow into the Susque- 
hanna on the south east and the 
Chenango on the north west. The 
hills, whose highest elevations are 
midway between the rivers, are 
about 800 feet above the valleys, 
and generally have gradual slope 
and are tillable to their summit. 
The surface is well distributed into 
arable pasture and meadow lands. 
Its waters consists of the head 
waters of small streams, the princi- 
pal ones Harpur and Kelsey's creeks 
both tributaries of the Susquehanna 
river. It is wholly underlaid by the 
rocks of the Catskill group, the soil 
is mostly of a sandy and gravelly 
loam. The town is admirably adapt- 
ed to grazing. Dairying forms the 
chief branch of its agriculture, in 
1880 there were four cheese and 
butter factories in the town, now 



there are only two. In 1875 the pop- 
ulation of the town was 1,345 of 
which 1,307 were natives and 38 
foreigners — all white. Its acreage 
was 27,815 of which 21,326 were 
improved and 640 unimproved. 
There are eleven common school dis- 
tricts in the town each of which has 
a school house of its own. The 
number of children of school age, 
residing in the districts, September 
30, 1875, was 373. During the 
year ending September 30, 1878, 
there were 7 male and 14 female 
teachers employed of whom 11 were 
licensed. The number of children 
residing in the districts who attend- 
ed school was 309; of whom only 
four were under five or over twenty- 
one years of age. The total daily 
attendance during the year was 
171,391. The number of volumes 
in district libraries was 280, the 
value of which was $44.00. The 
number of school houses was 11 all 
frame which with the sites embrac- 
ing 2 acres and 152 rods valued at 
$425, were valued at $3,600; the as- 
sessed value of the taxable property 
in the district was $688,050. The 
number of children between eight 
and fourteen years of age residing 
in the district September 30, 1877, 
was 179, of whom 156 attended dis- 
trict school fourteen weeks of the 
year. In looking back to the census 
of 1855 we find that there were 
1,681 people in the town, and his- 
tory says that the population had 
been diminishing for the last 30 
years before that, so I think that in 
1825 there must have been 2,000 
population. There was a reason for 



6 



HISTORY OP THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



this; when the first settlers came in 
they took small farms, 50 acres 
apiece. The man that got his paid 
for first was ready to buy out his 
neighbor, who had not paid for his, 
so you see the first farms grew lar- 
ger, and the families diminished. 
In 1855 there were 12 school dis- 
tricts with the attendance of 640; 
an average of fifty-three and one- 
third while today there is less than 
100. 

Settlements 

The first settlement in the town of 
Coventry was made in 1785 by 
Simon Jones who came from Cov- 
entry, Connecticut, and located on 
the old Chenango road near the 
center of the town on 100 acres now 
owned and occupied by Ray Parker. 
Jones died there childless, January 
12, 1817, aged 67. William Good- 
sell and Andrew Clark settled near 
Mr. Jones, on the same road the fol- 
lowing year, the latter on land 
which now forms part of Ray Par- 
ker's farm. They remained but a 
short time and but little is known of 
them. Benjamin Jones, cousin of 
Simon Jones, came in from the same 
place in 1788, and settled on the 
same road, one and one-half miles 
south east of Coventry village, on 
the farm known as the Thomas Tifft 
farm. He took up 250 acres of land 
and kept there that year the first 
inn in the town, in a frame building 
which was in use till about 1850, 
when it was moved across the road 
for a horse barn. He kept the hotel 
but a few years, being principally 
engaged in farming. He was for 
some years, the agent for the sale of 
land in this locality. He removed 
about 1833, with a portion of his 
family, to Wellsville where two of 
his children resided a number of 
years; Zenas H., a lawyer and Clar- 



issa, wife of William Gifford. Two 
of his sons remained here; Benja- 
min John Lewis and Laman P. 
The latter carried on a boot and 
shoe business in Coventry for about 
40 years. The former settled about 
two miles east of Coventry on the 
farm now owned by Edgar Pearsall, 
He subsequently moved to Susque- 
hanna where he died June 22, 1858, 
aged 52 years. Sylva M., his wife, 
died February 16, 1875, aged 63 
years. He was the father of C. F. 
Jones, deceased, of Church Hollow, 
well known in Harpursville and vi- 
cinity. Benjamin Jones, Sr., joined 
the Revolutionary army at the age 
of 18 years, and served until the 
close of the war. During his resi- 
dence here, in 180 6, he represented 
this county in the Assembly and 
during his legislative term was in- 
strumental in securing the forma- 
tion of the town of which he was 
one of the first officers and in giving 
It the name of his native place in 
Connecticut. He was the first mem- 
ber of the legislature from this town, 
and was one of the first assessors of 
the town of Bainbridge in 1791. 
The first postofRce was kept in his 
house and was removed to Coventry- 
vllle on the establishment of the 
hotel there. This town has been 
represented to the State legislature 
by seven different men, viz., Ben- 
jamin Jones, William Church, Ru- 
fus Chandler, Romeo Warren, Wil- 
liam Kales, Charles Pearsall, and 
Edgar Pearsall. 

Burrige Miles came from New 
Haven, Connecticut, in 1789 and 
took up 200 acres comprising the 
whole of the site of Coventryville, 
where he settled. Having kept a 
hotel in New Haven, Connecticut, 
his native place he erected a frame 
house in which he kept hotel. In 



HISTORY OP THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



1811 he built the present hotel in 
Coventryville, which he kept until 
his death, September 12, 1848, aged 
83 years. He married in New Hav- 
en, Elizabeth, sister of Ozias Yale 
of Cheshire, Connecticut. She died 
September 15, 1832, aged 68 years. 
His children were Betsey, who mar- 
ried Augustus Martin; Luman, who 
kept hotel in Coventry a good many 
years, and Burrige, who lived in 
Coventryville, and died, July 23, 
1829, aged 24 years. The children 
were all born in Coventry, and Lu- 
man who was born in a hotel, kept 
one nearly all his life. When Miles 
came into the town. Royal Wilkins 
had squatted on the creek, one- 
fourth mile south of Coventryville, 
and had made a small clearing and 
built a shanty; but he moved soon 
after to Afton where he settled and 
raised a family. His location here 
was near where Frank Pearsall now 
lives. 

Ozias Yale and William Stork 
made settlements in 1792, and Dea- 
con Richards about the same time. 
Yale came from Cheshire, Connecti- 
cut, and settled one-half mile north 
of Coventryville, where T. M. Wil- 
liams now lives, and where he died. 
May 26, 1853, aged 86 years. He 
was a farmer and held the office of 
justice several years. He was twice 
married. Hannah, his first wife 
died, December 23, 1810, aged 55 
years, and Agnes A., his second wife, 
March 8, 1875, aged 88 years. Two 
sons, Thomas, who lived at Nineveh 
for a good many years, and Robert, 
who lived in Norwich, Evaline, wife 
of Nathaniel Smith and Hannah, wife 
of Seth Beckwith, were daughters of 
his. The deaths of his daughter, 
Hannah and son H , both chil- 
dren by his first wife, the former 
October 3, 1796, at the age of 3 years 



and the latter July 9, 1800, at the 
age of 6 years were among the ear- 
liest in the town; and the birth of 
the former, must have been among 
the first, if not the first in the town. 
William, son of Moses Allis, born in 
1794, is credited with being the first 
white child born in the town. 

Deacon William Stork was also 
from Cheshire, Conn. He took up 
one hundred acres in the east part 
of the town, where he and his wife 
died, the former December 3, 1822, 
aged 52, and the latter, Rebecca Par- 
ker, March 17,1832, aged 59. He 
was a carpenter and joiner, and car- 
ried on that business in connection 
with farming. He had eight chil- 
dren, only four lived to grow up; 
two were born in Connecticut, but 
died in infancy, as also did the 
other two who died young. The 
four who lived to maturity were 
Julia, who was born in Coventry 
September 16, 1799, married Don. 
C. Parker of Cazenovia, where they 
settled afterwards, removing to 
Greene where he died November 2, 
1862; Anna, who died a maiden lady 
on the homestead in Coventry; 
Lauriston, who married Pheuby, 
daughter of William Clark, of Caz- 
enovia, where they settled and 
where he died; and William L., a 
lawyer who lived in Cazenovia. 

Deacon Richards settled on the old 
Chenango road; also Harden Bennett 
about 1792-5. Roger Edgerton set- 
tled about four miles south of Cov- 
entry, where Charles Seymour now 
lives, and was killed there by falling 
down stairs. He came as early as 
1790, in which year a son of his died, 
his death being the first in the town. 
One son, Hial, kept a store in Nine- 
veh, his son Franklin followed him 
in the store. Several great grand- 
children are living. 



S' 



HISTORY OP THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



Philo Yale settled in the town in 
1794, when 19 years old, and built 
his house in 1800, he dug the first 
grave in the cemetery at Coventry- 
ville for William Button, it ia in the 
north east corner of the yard. Moses 
Allis came in as early as 17 95, and 
Zenas Hutchinson and Levi Parker 
about that year. Allis was a shoe- 
maker and settled three miles south 
of Coventry on the farm now owned 
by Ex-Sheriff Beardsley. He resided 
there until well advanced in years, 
when he went to Ohio, where he 
died. None of his children are liv- 
ing here. His son William who is 
generally supposed to have been the 
first child born in the town removed 
to Ohio about 1830 and died there. 
Hutchinson came from Coventry, 
Connecticut, where he was born Sep- 
tember 17, 1782, and settled on the 
first farm west of Coventry, which is 
now owned and occupied by Charles 
Hoyt. He afterwards removed to 
the village and died there November 
31, 1869. He held the office of jus- 
tice of the peace thirty years, and 
was town clerk and school teacher 
for a good many years. He married 
Electa Trumbull, who was born 
March 3, 1794, and whose father 
was an early settler in that town 
where she died February 18, 1870. 
He had two children, both daugh- 
ters, Callista, who married Chauncey 
S. Williams, now living in Coventry; 
and Sophia, who died at the age of 
17. Parker came from Cheshire, 
Conn., and settled on the site of the 
Congregational parsonage in Cov- 
entryville village. He afterwards re- 
moved to the west part of the town, 
to the place where Mr. Pearson now 
lives, and died there April 9, 1846, 
aged 79 years. Phebe, his wife, died 
October 9. 1859, aged 89. His chil- 
dren were: Eldad, who settled at 



Coventryville, where he died June 4, 
1820, aged 26; Levi, who married 
and settled where Burton Jones now 
lives, and died there October 5, 
1864, aged 68, and Polly G., his 
wife, October 5, 1854, aged 59. 
Aaron, who was a Baptist minister, 
lived to an advanced age; Luman, 
who settled at Coventryville; Laura, 
who married Meritt Stoddard and 
after his death, October 12, 1820, 
married Ahira Barden and lived in 
Tioga county; Phebe, who married 
A. B. Dodge and lived in Triangle, 
Broome county, and Lucinda, who 
died young and unmarried. James 
S. Parker, at one time a merchant 
in Coventry, Mrs. Daniel Beecher of 
Coventry, Meritt S. Parker, at one 
time a merchant in Greene, and 
Mary, wife of Dr. M. B. Spencer of 
Guilford, are the grandchildren. 

Record Wilbur came in from Ver- 
mont as early as 1798, and settled 
about a mile south of Coventry on 
the north part of the farm now 
owned by Edward H. Porter and son, 
and died there January 29, 1862, at 
the advanced age of 99 years. 
Naomi, his wife died January 21, 
1842, aged 76. They had no 
children. 

CHAPTER II 
A Continuation of Early Settlers 

A man named Childs, whose wife 
was a sister of Record Wilbur, came 
In soon after Wilbur and made a 
clearing and planted corn on the 
place now owned by William Kelley, 
known as the Judd farm. He re- 
mained but one summer and return- 
ed to Vermont, from whence he 
came. His wife never came here. 

Captain Jothan Parker came in as 
early as 1795, probably that year, 
and settled one mile south of Cov- 
entryville, on the place now owned 



HISTORY OP THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



by Edgar Pearsall. He built in 
that localily in 1795 the first grist 
mill in the town. He kept also in 
an addition to the south part of his 
house the first store in the town. 
Hiland, his son, afterwards kept 
store there in company with Renja- 
min Jones. Captain Parker also 
kept a tavern. He died there after 
a short but active business life, July 
19, 1815, aged 62. His wife, Sarah, 
survived him many years and died 
November 13, 1848, at the advanced 
age of 9 years. His children were: 
Hiland Jothan, Jr., who died in Feb- 
ruary, 1830, aged 42; Luman, who 
died October 5, 1801, aged 20; 
Emma and the widow Loveland. 
The grist mill built by Captain Par- 
ker was located on a small creek 
one-fourth of a mile south of Cov- 
entryville near the residence of 
Prank Pearsall. A portion of the 
foundation may yet be seen. It was 
operated as a grist mill till about 
1845, when William Warner con- 
verted it into a carpenter shop which 
was burned about 1876. 

Simeon Parker settled at an early 
day one and one-half miles north of 
Coventryville where his grandson, 
Peter H. Parker, now lives and 
where he and his wife died, the for- 
mer February 7, 1824, aged 48, and 
the latter, July 30, 1835, aged 60 
years. He married Polly Sprague, 
and their marriage was the first one 
contracted in the town. Their chil- 
dren were, Lucius, Hiram, Simeon, 
Joel, Henry, Meritt, Polly, Betsey, 
Sally, Louisa, and Nancy, none now 
living. 

A man named Stimpson settled in 
the northeast corner of the town, on 
the farm owned and occupied for a 
good many years by Draper Easton, 
in 1800. He lived and died there. 
He had six children: Jason, who 



married Betsey Johnson, Simeon 
Roswell, who married a sister of 
Jason's wife; Nancy, who married 
Ira Bartholomew; Betsey and an- 
other daughter, who married the 
father of William Gilbert; all of 
whom are dead. 

Deacon John Stoddard who was 
born July 1, 1763, came from Water- 
town, Conn., his native place, in 
18 01 and settled on the farm at Cov- 
entryville which was owned and oc- 
cupied by his grandson, William A. 
Stoddard, where he died, February 
24, 1821. He came in with his fam- 
ily, consisting of his wife, Sarah, 
daughter of Nathan Woodward, of 
Watertown, Conn., and six children, 
Curtis, Meritt, Polly, John, Sarah 
and Elijah Woodward. Three were 
born after they came here, Abigail, 
Wells and Abiram, not one of the 
nine is living. He took up 250 acres 
of land, nearly 100 acres of which is 
occupied by his grandsons and great- 
grandsons. His wife died January 
1, 1849, aged 83. The Stoddards 
have been a prominent, influenti"! 
and highly respected family. Curtis 
married Hepsey, daughter of Samuel 
Martin, from Watertown, Conn., who 
came in with Mr. Stoddard in 1800 
and prospected the lands they took 
up and accompanied him in his set- 
tlements the following year. Mr. 
Martin died here January 17, 184 0, 
aged 76, and Phebe, his wife, March 
22, 1841, aged 76 years. Curtis 
Stoddard settled on 50 acres of his 
father's farm, where he raised a 
family of eight children. After the 
death of his wife he removed to Lit- 
tle St. Joseph, Ohio, where he died 
in 1843. Meritt Stoddard married 
Laura, daughter of Levi Parker, and 
settled in the west part of the town, 
where he died October 12, 1820, 
aged 32 years. Polly Stoddard mar- 



io 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



ried Sylvester Stevens of Camden, 
Oneida county, and removed with 
him to that county, where he died. 
After his death she returned to Cov- 
entry and subsequently married 
Daniel Benedict. She died here in 
1876. John Stoddard, who became 
a deacon, married Merab, daughter 
of Oliver Parker, an early settler in 
the town, where he died March 29, 
1856, aged 85 years; and Abigail, 
his wife, January 10, 1861, aged 89 
years. John settled on tbe home- 
stead and died there January 20, 
1865, aged 60 years. His wife died 
there March 20, 1857, aged 60 years. 
He was a justice of the peace for 20 
years. Sarah Stoddard married 
Deacon William Albert Martin, a 
resident of Coventry, where they 
both lived and died. He died March 
26, 1846, aged 53 years. Elijah 
Woodward Stoddard, who was born 
in 1797 and died in 1837, was grad- 
uated at Hamilton College in 1823, 
studied theology in Philadelphia and 
was licensed to preach in June 18 26. 
He married Althea Coye of Coopers- 
town and in 1826 was settled as 
pastor at Lisle. He subsequently 
preached in Windsor, in each place 
six years, and removed to Little St. 
Joseph, Ohio, where he died. 
Abigail, married Miles Doolittle, a 
resident of Coventry, who built in 
1815 the first and only carding mill 
in the town. It stood on a small 
stream which was early known as 
Great brook, about a mile south of 
Coventryville. Abigail died August 
30, 1830. Wells Stoddard married 
Eunice, daughter of Eliakin Bene- 
dict, and settled in Coventry. They 
removed in 1833, to Marion, Iowa, 
where he died in 1853. Abiram 
married Lavina Smith of Derby, 
Conn., where he practiced medicine 
and where he died in 1839. Four of 



John Jr's, children: Henry, John, 
Albert and Lewis, and one of Cur- 
tis' daughters, Hepsey, wife of Jos- 
eph Johnson, the last named is still 
living at this date 1912. 

Deacon Philo Minor, eame from 
Woodbury, Conn., in 1802, a single 
man and made a clearing of two 
acres about a mile east of Coventry- 
ville, on the place once occupied by 
C. Burlison. He returned to Con- 
necticut the following fall and mar- 
ried Polly Stillson, and in the win- 
ter brought in his wife on an ox 
sled. About 1850 he removed to 
the place once occupied by Lewis 
Stoddard, and subsequently to Afton, 
where he died November 16, 1864, 
aged 83 years. His wife died Feb- 
ruary 6, 1848, aged 64 years. He 
had nine children: George, born in 
1803, Clark and Esther, widow of 
Seneca Reed of Coventry; Mary, wife 
of Sylvester Cornell, and Sarah A, 
widow of Calvin Franklin, who died 
September 8, 1861, in Norwich. 

At one time Mrs. Philo Minor left 
her home to go to a place near 
Brackett Pond to arrange for some 
weaving. She went on horseback as 
there were then no roads except log 
roads. Taking the wrong road she 
got lost and remained in the woods 
all night. It was dark and raining 
and when she could no longer see, 
she perched herself on a leaning tree 
as high as she could and hold the 
horse. She placed the saddle over 
her head as a protection against the 
falling rain and so passed the night 
with the woves howling around her, 
but she kept them at bay by beating 
the stirrups together, thus making 
music which they apparently did not 
like. 

John Minor came in about the 
same time and he and his wife, Anna 
G. Beardsley, died here, the former, 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



11 



February 9, 1854, aged 84 and the 
latter March 4, 1852, aged 79. 
Their daughter, Elizabeth D., mar- 
ried John Foot, a native of Coey- 
mans, N. Y., who was a tanner and 
shoemaker and settled in Coventry 
where he held several military and 
town offices, and was deacon of the 
Congregational church. They had 
two children, Lydia Ann, who mar- 
ried Henry Milton Ketchum and re- 
moved to Minnesota, and Jane 
Amanda. 

John Mandeville and Elisha War- 
ren came in from Massachusetts, the 
former from Granby, in 1805. Man- 
deville settled in the south part of 
the town four miles south of Cov- 
entry on 5 acres, which now forms 
part of Charles Martin's farm, and 
died there about 1819. He was the 
first Supervisor in the town of Cov- 
entry. He had eight children: Ase- 
nith, who married Chauncey Brewer; 
Sophia, who married Lemuel Jen- 
nings; John, William C, James, 
Horace, Homer and Malancthon S. 
Two grandsons, Asahel and Harry, 
lived in the town on land afterwards 
acquired by him. Warren settled in 
the east part of the town one and 
one-half miles southeast of Coven- 
tryville, on the place now owned by 
the estate of Clark L. Horton, where 
he died January 13, 1806, aged 41 
years. Lois, his wife, survived him 
many years. She died March 20, 
184 8, aged 80. He had three sons 
and one daughter: Woodward, who 
was born in Watertown, Conn., Jan- 
uary 17, 1791, who was an architect 
and carpenter and died September 7, 
1855, aged 64 years; Elisha, Lydia, 
who married Hial Benedict; and Ro- 
meo, the latter who represented 
this country in the State Assembly 
in 185 6 and resided in Coventry till 
his death. 



Settlements were made in 1806 by 
Jabez Manwarring, Henry Chandler 
and Pardon Beecher. Jabez Man- 
warring came from New London, 
Conn., and settled first three miles 
south west of Coventry on the farm 
once owned by John Beals. In 1812, 
he removed to the farm lying next 
north and resided there till his 
death, April 23, 1861, aged 80. In 
1808 he married Sally Hopkins from 
Waterbury, Conn., who died October 
21, 1863, aged 79 years. They had 
ten children; Charles B., who later.** 
resided at Nanticoke, Broome coun- 
ty; Henry and Edward S., at Wind- 
sor, Broome county; Lucius, at Cov- 
entry; William in Grandville, Mich.; 
Samuel and Albert in State Center, 
Iowa; George who died in Clinton 
county, Iowa, about 1864; Sally Ma- 
ria, who married Albert Prett of Af- 
ton and subsequently David Blakeley 
of Wisconsin, where she died, were 
children of theirs. 

Deacon Henry Chandler came 
from Brattleboro, Vt. He stopped 
about six months in Bainbridge, and 
removed thence to this town. He 
settled at Coventryville and had 
had charge of the grist mill which 
was then in operation a little south 
of that village. He built a log house 
into which he moved his family and 
after about a year bought a farm of 
nearly fifty acres about one and one- 
half miles south of Coventryville, 
known as the Sanford place. He 
afterwards removed to the farm 
known as the Benedict Foot farm in 
the north part of the town. He went 
to live with his children in Bain- 
bridge in the latter part of his life 
and died there July 21, 1826, aged 
72 years. Penelope, his wife, died 
March 25, 1841, aged 72 years. His 
children were: Nelly, who married 
Hardin Burnett; Sophia, who mar- 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



rled Phineas Bennett; Nabby, who 
married Calvin Niles; Michael, 
Henry, Selah, Rufus, David, Lock- 
wood and Lois, who married William 
Wilson. Rufus resided in Coventry. 
Parson Beecher removed from the 
parish in Salem, Conn., now Nauga- 
tuck, and like many others of the 
early settlers, fearing miasmatic dis- 
ease and reputed sickness of the 
low lands and river courses, sought 
out an elevated location between the 
Chenango and Susquehanna river. 
He took up 100 acres of wilderness 
land one mile west of Coventry on 
what is known as the Guy Wylie 
farm, and there raised up a family 
to usefulness, honesty and sobriety. 
He continued his residence there till 
his death, August 10, 1843, aged 60. 
His house is said to have been the 
first framed house on that part of 
the Livingston tract lying in Cov- 
entry and the first on the Catskill 
and Ithaca turnpike, between Bain- 
bridge and Greene, a distance of six- 
teen miles. There town meetings 
and elections were regularly held, 
as well as stated preaching every 
fourth Sabbath. In January, 1808, 
he married a lady of his native town, 
who died in 1875 at the advanced 
age of 91 years, with mind unim- 
pared. He brought her to a log 
cabin in his forest home. The farm 
was retained in the hands of the 
family till about 1858, when Julius 
Beecher, who succeeded his father 
in the occupancy sold it and remov- 
ed to Wellsville, Allegany county, 
and died there. Parson Beecher's 
other children were: Sarah, who 
married a son of Curtis Stoddard 
and after his death, Amos Yale, and 
lived on the Amos Yale place in 
Guilford where her husband died, 
February 17, 1857, aged 40; Daniel, 
who was twice married, his second 



wife, Betsey Parker, they lived in 
Coventry; Annette, who married 
Russel M. Smith and died in Cov- 
entry in the spring of 1877; Harris 
H. and Harry, twins, the former a 
physician of Norwich who wrote a 
history of the 114th Regiment, N. Y. 
S. v., and the latter of whom mar- 
ried the widow Phebe Ann Rice and 
lived in Norwich; Hector, who mar- 
ried Naomi Leonard of Oxford, with 
whom he lived till her death, then 
he went to Norwich and lived with 
his daughter until his death Septem- 
ber 2, 1912, aged 86 years. El- 
bridge, who married and removed to 
Ohio and died there; Jane, who mar- 
ried John B. Hoyt, and lived in Pitts- 
ton, Pa.; Julius, married Elizabeth 
Payne and after her death, Sarah 
Ann Stewart, and lived in Wellsville. 

Lewis Warren, son of Nathaniel 
W^arren came in from Watertown, 
Conn., 1808-9, and settled about 
three miles south west of Coventry 
on the farm where Ira Fairchild's 
did live. He returned to Connecti- 
cut about 1811 and remained there 
till 1822. He married Susa, daugh- 
ter of Harvey Judd. They both lived 
and died in Coventry at a good old 
age, she being 94 years old. Their 
children were: Sally, who married 
Callitus Frisbie; Edward, who mar- 
ried Sally Judd for his first wife and 
Harriett Underwood for his second; 
Truman, who married Harriet 
Wheeler; George and Polly never 
married; Harvey died when 16 years 
old. 

Harvey Judd removed from 
Watertown, Conn., to Delhi, Dela- 
ware county, in 1809, and the fol- 
lowing year to Coventry, working 
farms on shares till 1822 when he 
and his son, Harvey P., bought the 
farm long known as the Judd farm, 
about one mile south west of Cov- 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



IS 



entry, now owned by William Kelley. 
He died there September 27, 1857, 
aged 94, his wife, Sarah Castle, in 
1845, aged 80, and his son, Harvey 
P., died December 27, 1869, aged 
64. His children were: Eri, who 
married and lived in Watertown, 
Conn.; Susa, who married Lewis 
Warren, who moved here in 1822; 
Noah, who married Nancy Peartree 
and lived on one half of the lot 
owned by Harvey and removed to 
Greene where he and his wife both 
died; and Harvey, as has been said, 
lived and died in Coventry. 

Frances Kales came from Albany 
in 1811 and settled on land in the 
south line of the town, lately owned 
by Charles Clifford. Kales and his 
wife both were of Irish descent and 
both died there, the former in April, 
1852. the latter in February, 1847. 
John and William, their sons, both 
lived and died in Coventry. Wil- 
liam was a member of the Assembly 
in 1858. 

David Hungerford emigrated from 
Watertown, Conn., his native place 
in 1812 and settled about three 
miles south west of Coventry, where 
his son Chauncey has lived most of 
the time since his birth in 1830. 
He was a blacksmith as well as 
farmer. He continued to reside 
there until his death, January 12, 
1860, aged 80 years. His wife, Anna 
Y. Beckwith, a native of Vermont, 
died in 1883, at the ripe age of 100 
years, 4 months and some days with 
mental faculties but little impaired. 
He married in Watertown, and his 
children were: Maria, who married 
Moses Hatch and lived and died in 
Kettleville; Susan, who married 
Harvey P. Judd, lived and died in 
Coventry; Rachel, wife of John 
Gobies, lived and died in Fulton 
City, 111.; Lavinna, who married 



Joseph Snell and died in Kettleville 
March 5, 1849. All the above nam- 
ed children were born in Connecti- 
cut. Those born in Coventry, were: 
Sally, a maiden lady living with 
her brother on the homestead; Anna, 
widow of Towsend Barnum, lived ia 
Hastings, Minn.; Laura, wife of 
Ralph Beard, who lived in Coventry; 
David, who married Martha Ann 
Castle, lived in Kansas; and Chaun- 
cey, who lived on the homestead. 
They are all dead at this date un- 
less it is David. 

Most of the early settlers in the 
locality of Coventryville and on the 
road extending north into the south 
part of Oxford were from Cheshire, 
Conn., from which fact the little 
hamlet in the southern part of the 
town derives its name and the road 
in question is known as Cheshire 
street. 

CHAPTER III. 

The Early Settlers Still Continued. 

The Williams Family. 

Among the early settlers was one 
Caleb Williams, who married 
Mahitabel Walker and came into 
this country from Wales; settled 
about one mile south of Church 
Hollow near where William Pears- 
all, now deceased, lived for many 
years. Although it was not in this 
town we speak of it but because 
several of the children were prom- 
inent citizens of Coventry. Their 
children were: Lois, who died 
young; Caleb Samuel, Stephen Wal- 
ker, Hiram, Daniel, Mahitabel, Har- 
ley, Henry, Simon, Julia, Evaline and 
Lois. Caleb married Cordelia Bid- 
well and lived several years two 
miles west of Coventry, on the farm 
known as the Ezra Foote farm. Ho 
afterwards moved to Rockford, 111., 
and died there. Samuel married 



u 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



Phoebe Pearsall and lived on the 
homestead for several years. He 
moved to Triangle, where he lived 
for many years, thence to North 
Fenton, where they both died. They 
had four children two died young. 
Their son, Hamilton, married and 
had a family. Their daughter Aman- 
da married Nelson Baker of Greene, 
where they lived a few years, after- 
wards they went to Nebraska where 
she died, leaving one son who is 
married and has two children. Nel- 
son and his son are doing a large 
business farming near Norfolk, Va. 
Stephen Walker married Louisa 
Easton, and lived in the south east 
part of the town for many years. 
He had a large family, the majority 
of which died young. One died about 
four years ago in Kansas aged 82 
years. Theodore died in the army 
during the Civil war September 24, 
1863, aged 25 years. He was in 
Company E. 1st Regiment, Minne- 
sota Vol. Ellina went to Wisconsin, 
married Elisha Sanders and had 
four children; died March 29, 1876, 
aged 40 years. Willard married 
twice, both wives deceased. He is 
now living with his son in Cuba, N. 
Y. Oliver P., is now living in Cov- 
entry; Chauncey S., died in Cov- 
entry January 31, 1912. Oliver P., 
and Willard are the only ones living. 
Hiram was killed by an accident 
when a young man, while working 
in the woods with a yoke of cattle. 
Daniel married Thankful Blakeslee 
and worked at shoe making for a 
good many years, then farmed it on 
the farm now owned by Mr. Juliand 
a little south of R. Buckley's, from 
there he went west for a few years, 
came back, lived and died on the 
farm now owned by T. M. Williams, 
a little north of Coventryville. They 
had five children: Albert, who mar- 



ried Jane Elizabeth Keyes, was a 
shoe maker and now lives in Bing- 
hamton; Polly, who married Sher- 
man Pearsall; Thankful married 
Alonzo Pearsall; Wilbert married 
Anna Brainard; Clement married 
Laura Briggs, all deceased but Al- 
bert. Mehitable married William 
Pearsall. They had five children. 
Washington married a Miss Sanford 
and lived on the old homestead. Eg- 
bert married a sister of Washing- 
ton's wife; Susan and Caroline never 
married; Sarah married George 
Suttle, and lived at West Colesville 
till quite recently. They now live in 
Binghamton. Harley married and 
lived in this town many years on the 
north part of what was till quite 
lately the James Whitlock farm; 
later removed to Michigan. Henry 
married and went to Michigan. 
Simon married Polly Ann Tremain 
and lived in Coventry on the south 
part of the Whitlock farm. He after- 
wards moved to Clarksville, Alle- 
gany county, N. Y. Julia Evaline 
married Palmer Spearbeck; lived in 
these parts for a while then moved 
to Michigan. Louis never married. 
They were all Christian people and 
strong supporters of the three 
churches here. 

Clark Smith came from Massa- 
chusetts a single man and married 
Lois Kelsey of Jericho, now Afton. 
Lived in Nineveh a few years, mov- 
ed to Coventry and settled about 
four miles south of Coventry and 
lived until his death on the farm 
where his son Edward now lives, he 
being the only son living, and now 
in his 82d year. Clark Smith was 
born May 31, 1782. His children 
were: Albert Smith, a carpenter, 
went west; Loisa married Alanson 
Roe, who had seven children, one 
Mrs. Bristol, lives in Harpursville; 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



15 



lived and died in this town. He was 
a farmer; Harvey S., a minister, 
died in Missouri; Russel S., was a 
deacon of the Second Congregational 
church and a farmer, lived and died 
in Coventry; Carlo S., farmer, lived 
and died at Doraville, in the town of 
Colesville. One son, Warren, and a 
grandson, Francis, now live in Dora- 
ville. Adaline died at the age of 22 
years. Augustus, was for many 
years a farmer in the town, but 
spent his last years in Athens, Pa., 
with his daughter, Mrs. Sawtell, 
who had a large family, one son a 
minister. Cyrus, a farmer, lived and 
died in the town, one child, Mrs. C. 
G. Beardslee, and her two sons, 
grandchildren, and one granddaugh- 
ter; Rhoda A., married Luther Dort, 
and lived in Harpursville; later mov- 
ed to the west; Diana L., married S. 
A. Beardsley, and had three chil- 
dren: Alice, at home, Clark, a min- 
ister, and Alvin who died when a 
young man. Mary Smith died at 
two years of age. Edward C, a 
farmer lived on the old farm. Had 
five children: Mary, who married 
a Mr. Clayton, and lives in Arizona, 
had a large family of children. 
Clark married Libbie, daughter of 
John Manning, is a farmer living 
one half mile east of his father's, 
has two sons, and has been road 
commissioner for several years; 
Fred, who married Nellie, daughter 
of George Paddleford, and lives with 
his father on the old homestead, has 
one daughter. The Smiths have all 
been very prominent men and strong 
pillars in the Second Congregational 
church of Coventry, nearly always 
at the church, rain or shine. 

This incident is related of Clark 
Smith. One day he was coming up 
from the Mandeville place through 
the woods and a panther followed 



by the side of him. He had a saw 
in one hand and a jug in the other 
and kept the panther at bay by 
rattling them together until he got 
within sight of home, when he called 
and his wife left two little children 
on the floor, ran out with a pine 
knot all afire and scared the panther 
away. 

The Manning Family 

Nathaniel Manning was born at 
Oxford, Mass. He early came to the 
State of New York, and at the time 
of his marriage was living at Rens- 
selaer, Albany county. About 1799, 
if the recollection of his descend- 
ants is correct, he came to Chenango 
county and settled in Coventry on 
what was then known as the Harpur 
tract, two and one-half miles south 
of Coventry. He owned about two 
hundred acres of land and was a 
well to do farmer. He held several 
town offices, including that of justice 
of the peace. The last year of his 
life he resided with his son Lewis on 
what is now known as the Joslyn 
farm and died there. He was buried 
in the Wylie cemetery. He was mar- 
ried at Charlton, Mass., February 12, 
179 2, to Anna, daughter of Ebenezer 
and Christina White, who was born 
October 5, 1771, at Charlton. In 
1813 she and Nathaniel sold her 
rights in her father's estate in West- 
chester county. She died March 5, 

1848, and Mr. Manning August 6, 

1849, both at Coventry. Their chil- 
dren: Nancy, born in 1794, died 
unmarried; Charles White, born 
July 20, 1796, at Renssalaer; Bet- 
sey, born September 13, 1799, at 
Coventry; George, born January 22, 
1802, at Coventry; Ira, born in Cov- 
entry February 19, 1807; Anna, 
born April 9, 1809, at Coventry; 
Abigail C, born in Coventry, Jan- 



16 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



uary 5, 1812, died November 22, 
1832, unmarried. 

Samuel Manning was born Decem- 
ber 22, 1774, at Oxford, Mass. He 
moved to Coventry, where he after- 
wards settled. He was a farmer 
and his tract of twenty-five acres 
was given to him by the town for 
service rendered said town, and it 
is believed he was in some way a 
land agent. He was married at 
Coventry in October, 1827, to Mrs. 
Fannie Osborn Woodward, born 
April 19, 1787, in Vermont. She 
died March 6, 1868, and Mr. Man- 
ning March 18, 1845, both at Cov- 
entry. His children were: Isaiah, 
born April 24, 1830, at Coventry, 
had one grandchild, Mrs. George 
Mayo. He was a millwright or ma- 
chinist and sawyer which occupation 
he followed until he was killed by 
the falling of a tree, October 18, 
1873, at Afton. Charles White 
Manning was reared and lived in 
Coventry for many years but later 
moved to the west. He had eight 
children. Two sons died in the Civil 
war. Betsey Manning married Cal- 
vin Edgerton. Their children were: 
Eliza Ann Edgerton, who married 
Cyrus Smith. As has been said be- 
fore, George Washington Edgerton, 
born October 1, 1825, and died June 
19, 1895, was married; William 
Henry and Henry Leroy, both died 
young. Ira Manning was born Feb- 
ruary 19, 1807, at Coventry on the 
farm now owned by Frank Pierce. 
He resided in his native town and 
his education was received in the 
common schools. About the time of 
his marriage he purchased a farm 
adjoining that of his father. He 
was Supervisor of Coventry, and as- 
sessor for several years. He mar- 
ried Mary A., daughter of James 
and Lucy Pomeroy Treadway, born 



January 27, 1808, in Connecticut. 
She died October 23, 1868, and Mr. 
Manning October 18, 1865, both at 
Coventry, where they were buried. 
Children born at Coventry: Abbie 
Jane, born August 8, 1835, resided 
at Coventry and married Robert, son 
of Robert and Mary Love Wilson, 
born 1827, in Ireland, and died Feb- 
ruary 15, 1886, at Greene, Chenan- 
go county; no children. He was a 
prominent farmer, a kind and oblig- 
ing citizen. John Waters, born May 
20, 1837; William Seward, born Feb- 
ruary 24, 1839; Ira Delos, born No- 
vember 20, 1842; Mary Ann, born 
June 27, 1848, resided at Greene, 
married there June 20, 1877, Allen, 
son of John and Sarah Weeks 
Handy; Napier, born January 7, 
1840, in Brooklyn. Children born 
in Brooklyn: Sarah Weeks, born 
December 22, 1880; John Dwight, 
born January 10, 1882. Libbie Em- 
ma, born May 1, 1851, died Janu- 
ary 12, 1870; Anna Manning, born 
April 9, 1809, at Coventry, died 
there February 13, 1866, married 
November 15, 1829, Joseph, son of 
Joseph and Hannah Wheeler Fair- 
child, born July 24, 1806, at 
Watertown, Conn., and died March 
29, 1888, at Coventry. Children 
born at Coventry: Betsey Ann 
Fairchild, December 4, J830, mar- 
ried October 4, 1849, Orin W. 
Childs; Ira Manning Fairchild, 
born May 12, 1833, resided at Cov- 
entry until 1894, and then removed 
to Sidney, married December 15, 
1869, Frances E. Tuckey. Their 
daughter, Ann E., married James G. 
Simonson. Charles Leroy Fair- 
child, born May 17, 1836, died June 
28, 1895, at Bainbridge. Married 
December 28, 1864, Sally A. Salis- 
bury. Nancy Louisa Fairchild, 
born March 2, 1839, died September 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



17 



30, 1851, at Coventry. George Rus- 
sel Fairchild, born January 16, 1842, 
died September 24, 1851. John 
Henry Fairchild, born April 29, 
1845, died October 11, 1869, at Co - 
entry. Married January 5, 1869, 
Eugenia Watrous. Lewis Wheeler 
Fairchild, born November 9, 1847, 
died September 26, 1851. Since 
writing about the Manning family 
more history has been put into my 
hands. John Waters Manning, was 
born May 20, 1837, at Coventry. 
His early education was received in 
the common schools, afterward he 
attended Oxford Academy at Oxford 
for several terms. His death oc- 
curred October 20, 1911. He was a 
farmer in Coventry and married 
Martha Wealthy Hull of Oxford, 
May 9, 1866. Children born at Cov- 
entry: Frank Maurice, a farmer of 
Coventry, born August 27, 1867, 
married Lucy Wilson; Sarah Eliza- 
beth, born November 30, 1869, is a 
resident of Coventry, married Sep- 
tember 8, 1898, Clark E. Smith, 
born February 24, 1866; William 
Alanson, a farmer of Coventry, born 
January 4, 1872, married Eugenie 
Madigan; Mary Wealthy, born Oc- 
tober 2, 1874, and died July 31, 
1889. 

William Seward Manning, born 
February 24, 1839, at Coventry, 
married (1st) in New York city 
June 25, 1867, Sarah, daughter of 
Robert Wilson, born in Greene in 
1840, died October 16, 1880; and 
(2d), June 14, 1874, Margaret R., 
daughter of George N. and Lucretia 
Willoughby Havens, born October 
26, 1841, at Oxford; resided in 1874, 
at West Exter. Mr. Manning died 
October 14, 1876. Children of Wil- 
liam S. and Sarah Manning: Wil- 
liam H., born December 9, 1869, in 
New York city; died June 30, 1870, 



at Smithville. Children of William 
S. and Margaret R. Manning; Fanny 
Havens, born March 5, 1875, at 
Oxford. She graduated from Oxford 
Academy in 189 2, and from Kraus 
Seminary, New York city, where she 
took a Kindergarten course in 1895. 
She then taught in a Mission school 
in Brooklyn under supervision of 
Plymouth church until 1897, when 
the school being given up she en- 
gaged in public school work at 
Newark, N. J., until her marriage 
August 2 2, 1900, to Rev. Alfred 
Rickard Burke. Ira Delos Manning, 
born November 20, 1842, at Cov- 
entry. His education was obtained 
at district schools and the academies 
of Oxford and Norwich. When a 
young man he taught school twelve 
terms. He resided on the Manning 
homestead for a number of years as 
a farmer then moved down into the 
hollow west of John Manning's and 
worked both farms. He has been 
commissioner for six years. He 
married September 2, 1870, Julia 
Eliza, daughter of Charles and Eliza 
Miller Sanford, born August 14, 
1842, in New York city. Children: 
Leigh Delos, born August 28, 1871, 
at Coventry, died March 4, 1872. 
Julia May, born August 8, 1878. at 
Oxford. I think she is a graduate of 
some academy, and is now teaching 
in some High school. About three 
years ago, owing to Mrs. Manning's 
poor health, they moved to Greene 
where after a long illness she pass- 
ed away. I should have said in 
speaking of John and William 
Manning that they both taught 
school a number of terms each. 
Your scribe went to school to Wil- 
liam three terms. 

The Fairchild Family. 
Joseph Fairchild, Sr., was born in 
Watertown, Conn., in 1758, and liv- 



18 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



ed there until 1811, when he moved 
to Coventry and bought a farm ad- 
joining David Hungerford's of Lewis 
Barren, or his father, and lived 
there until he died in 1842, aged 
85 years. His wife was Hannah 
Wheeler, and she died in 1838, aged 
77 years. They raised nine chil- 
dren: Bille, Chloe, Agar, Hannah, 
Hulda, Sally, Nancy, Polly and Jos- 
eph. Part of them settled in Con- 
necticut, the three boys came with 
him or soon after. Joseph, Jr., be- 
ing only five years old at the time. 
Joseph, Sr., was three years a sol- 
dier in the Revolulionary war. He 
and his son, Joseph, Jr., lived on the 
same farm the remainder of their 
lives, it remaining in the family of 
the three generations eighty-three 
years. Joseph Pairchild, Jr., mar- 
ried Anna Manning. They had seven 
children: Betsey Ann, married 
Orrin Childs and they had three 
sons: Prank Jr., Charles and Sey- 
mour. Charles died when 26 years 
of age. Frank married Susan 
Squires, and Seymour married Irene 
Hyde. Orin Childs settled on the 
Gage Hinkley place for eighteen 
years, then sold and went to 
Ouaquaga in 1868, and lived there 
until his death in 1908, and his 
widow lives there with her son 
Prank. John Pairchild married 
Eugenia Watrous and died about 
eight months after in 1869. Charles 
married Sally Ann Salisbury in 
1864, and lived on the homestead 
three years. He afterward settled 
in Sanford and lived there twenty 
years, then moved to Bainbridge, 
where he died in 1895, four months 
after moving there, aged 59 years. 
His wife died three years after, in 
1898, aged 56 years. Anna Pair- 
child, wife of Joseph Pairchild, died 
in 1866, aged 57 years. Ira Pair- 



child married Francis Tuckey in 
1869, and lived on the old home- 
stead with his father while he lived 
and five years after, when the 
place was sold and Ira moved to 
Sidney where he now lives. They 
had one daughter, Anna, who mar- 
ried J. S. Simonson, who is in busi- 
ness in Sidney. Belle Pairchild was 
twice married and raised eleven 
children. Agar moved to Ohio; Sally, 
daughter of Joseph Pairchild, Sr., 
married James Wylie and settled on 
the farm known as the George Wylie 
farm. They raised seven children: 
Thomas, Russel, Hoel, George, Han- 
nah, Hubbard and Wheeler. The 
two oldest settled in Iowa. Hoel in 
Sodus, N. Y., and George on the 
homestead. Hubbard in the eastern 
part of the town. Hannah died in 
184 5, aged 21 years. Wheeler died, 
aged 12 years. George in 1901, 
aged 80 years and Hubbard, January 
16, 1910, aged 82 years. Sally 
Pairchild Wylie died in 1864. Part 
of the history of the Pairchild fam- 
ily was not handed in till after the 
other was wrote so please excuse us 
for getting a little of it in twice. 

The Horton Family. 

Marcus N. Horton and Clark L. 
Horton were former residents of 
Coventry. Their grandfather, Ben- 
jamin Horton, was born at Nauga- 
tuck. Conn., in 1793. In 1818 they 
moved with their family of eleven 
children with ox teams and wagons 
from their home in Connecticut to 
Columbus, Chenango county, N. Y., 
where he purchased a farm. Their 
journey occupied eleven days, com- 
ing by the way of Albany to cross 
the Hudson river. About 1830 Ben- 
jamin Horton and family removed to 
Coventry and purchased a farm one 
and one-half miles north west of 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



19 



Coventry village, now owned by Mr. 
Folds. Seven years later this farm 
was sold and a farm was purchased 
in the south west portion of the 
town, now occupied by his great- 
grandson, Leslie Horton, where Ben- 
jamin Horton died in 1841. His 
wife, Peninah, died later at the 
same place at the advanced age of 
93 years. Benjamin Horton's fam- 
ily consisted of eleven children: 
Newton, who married a Tuttle and 
settled in Columbus; Amelia mar- 
ried Seldon Lewis; Julia married 
Cornelius Conover; Clarissa married 
Thomas Hyde; Germon married 
Rhoda Tread way; Leonard married 
Jemima Conover; George W., mar- 
ried Harriett Plagg; Hamilton, mar- 
ried Matilda Butcher; Almira, mar- 
ried Charles Beardsley; Denison, 
married Catherine M. Brown; Lewis 
P., married Martha A. Shapley; Ger- 
mon lived most of his life in Cov- 
entry and had no children; Leonard 
was a wagon maker, having learned 
the trade by a three years appren- 
ticeship. He worked at his trade 
making and repairing wagons at 
West Coventry, but later moved to 
the east part of the town at the old 
homestead where Clark L. Horton 
was born, and there he worked at 
his trade, and later took up farming. 
Children of Leonard and Jemima 
Horton were four: Marcus, who 
married Adeline Briseck; Emily J., 
who married Wells Streeter; Avis 
H., who married S. D. Stillman and 
Clark L., who married Martha Par- 
ker. Marcus N. Horton early sought 
an education, and through his own 
earnest efforts graduated from Wil- 
liams College, Mass., and for a long 
time followed teaching as a calling, 
in which he became very successful. 
He later became superintendent of 
schools of the city of Williamsport 



and at Franklin, Pa., and was at 
one time school commissioner for 
the southern district of Chenango 
county. He reached the advanced 
age of past 80 years. He lived at 
Bloomfield, N. J.; Marcus N., has 
two sons. Edward H. Horton, is a 
teacher and principal of the Pine 
street school of Binghamton, N. Y., 
which position he has held for many 
years; and John M. Horton, who is 
a valuable employe of the Chemical 
National Bank of New York city. 
Emily J., became a teacher and fol- 
lowed the calling many years, both 
in district and High schools. Late 
in life she married Wells Streeter, 
whom she survived, and died at the 
old homestead near Coventryville in 
1899. Avis A., was also at one 
time preceptress of the Walton 
Academy. She married S. D. Still- 
man of Herkimer county, N. Y., and 
lived with him until her death in 
1895. Clark L., was born in 1847, 
and was educated at the district 
schools, Oxford Academy, and Jeffer- 
son County Institute; taught a few 
terms and settled down to farming 
on the Warren farm near Coventry- 
ville which he purchased. He made 
farming pay, also was remarkably 
successful as a business manager 
of a creamery for twenty years, 
which had been established at Cov- 
entryville. In 1894 he leased his farm 
and moved with his family to Afton 
where he actively engaged in the 
hardware business, and also held the 
office of justice of the peace. He was 
an active member of the Baptist 
church. He died suddenly in Afton 
on the 7th of May, 1912. He is 
survived by his wife, one daughter, 
Rachel H., who married Elmer Tew 
of Oxford, and now resides in Afton, 
and one son, Harry G., who married 
Fannie Hare of Harpursville, and re- 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



sides in Afton and has continued in 
the business that he commenced 
with his father. George W. Horton 
lived in the west part of the town 
for a great many years and engaged 
in farming. He had three daugh- 
ters: Marie, who married Jack 
Elliott; Susan and Sarah. Hamilton 
left Coventry when young and lived 
in the west. He had a son, Ezra, 
who lived in Sherburne, N. Y. Den- 
ison went to Chicago when a young 
man, when the city was comparitive- 
ly small, and grew up with the place 
and attained great prosperity and 
wealth. Much of the latter he lost 
in the great Chicago fire. His chil- 
dren were two daughters. Lewis B., 
the youngest son, became the pos- 
sessor of the homestead and cared 
for his mother in her last days. He 
had one son, Albert, who died soon 
after he reached manhood, but not 
until after he was married and be- 
came the father of a son. Leslie, 
who was brought up by his grand- 
father, from whom he received the 
old farm where he still lives as the 
sole representative of the Hortons 
in Coventry. 

CHAPTER IV. 

Settlers That Came a Little Later. 

The Hawkins Family. 

Elijah Hawkins was one of the 
early settlers of the town at Cov- 
entry, He came from Massachu- 
setts, the exact date being unknown. 
He settled on the southern part of 
what is known as the William Kales 
farm on the east side of the road 
and north of the county line of Cov- 
entry and Colesville. His house was 
situated a little north west of the 
old family cemetery of the Hawkins 
and Pike families, which can be 
seen from the highway. His farm 
consisted of over three hundred 



acres and was one of the largest and 
most improved farms in the town at 
the time of his death. It included 
besides the part mentioned the farm 
now owned by Ransom Adkins, also 
the farm formerly owned by Pome- 
roy Adkins, and other pieces of land 
near. 

Not far from the year 1800 the 
father of Elijah wrote from Massa- 
chusetts to his son that his mother 
was dead, and said he thought of 
coming west if game was plenty. 
Elijah immediately wrote to his 
father and told him to come and 
make it his home with him, for 
game was plenty. The father, 
Robert Hawkins, left his home in 
Massachusetts and came and spent 
the rest of his life with his son. 
He spent much time setting out fruit 
trees on his son's farm, and said in 
years later that he did not expect to 
live to eat fruit from the trees, 
but had for a good many years. He 
shot one bear after he came to Cov- 
entry. He was an old man at the 
time of the Revolutionary war, too 
old to carry arms, but served his 
country as a guard in the forts of 
the patriots. He was twice married. 
His first wife was Rebecca Bowers, 
and his second wife was Rachel 
Buck Baldwin. Two children of his 
first wife: Lydia and Samuel, never 
came west and nothing more is defi- 
nitely known about them. Robert 
Hawkins died November 14, 1830, 
aged 101 years, and was buried on 
the farm in the family cemetery. 
His second wife's children were: 
Eben, Enoch, Rebecca, Mary and 
Elijah. Rebecca Hawkins married 
Joseph Pike and came from Massa- 
chusetts after her family had grown 
up. The family settled near the 
Hawkins family, just over the coun- 
ty line in Colesville. Rebecca and 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



21 



Joseph Pike had a family of six 
sons and one daughter, whose de- 
scendants are scattered almost 
throughout the United States. Jos- 
eph Pike, was an old Revolutionary 
soldier and died February 19, 1842, 
aged 82 years. Rebecca Hawkins 
Pike died June 26, 1817, aged 54 
years. She was the first person for 
whom the sod was broken in the 
family plot which has before been 
mentioned. In the spring of 1832, 
Elijah Hawkins was taken ill, from 
which he knew there was no re- 
covery. He had no family except 
his wife, so he gave all his property 
to his nephew, Malcom M. Hawkins, 
to care for him and his wife while 
they lived. Malcom M. Hawkins at 
that time owned and occupied the 
north part, west of the highway of 
what has long been known as the 
Asa Mandeville farm. His farm con- 
sisted of fifty acres, a saw mill which 
he operated himself. He had re- 
sided there nearly twelve years, 
when he sold and removed to the 
farm of his uncle, Elijah Hawkins. 
He died May 27, 1832, aged 65 
years. His wife died about two years 
later. Malcom N. Hawkins was 
named in honor of Dr. Malcom Niv- 
en, a friend and physician of the 
family. He occupied the old Haw- 
kins farm for many years. He was 
born on a part of the farro just 
north of the Coventry line, in Cov- 
entry, July 22, 1799. His parents 
were among the pioneers of the 
towns of Coventry and Windsor and 
he was the second son of thirteen 
children. The records of the Wind- 
sor Presbyterian church gives the 
following baptisms of their family: 
March 31, 1813, at a church meet- 
ing held at the house of David 
Hotchkiss, these children were bap- 
tized, Malcom, Benjamin, Philota, 



Robert, Rachel, Charlotte, Mary, 
Dorcas, and Elijah, children of Je- 
mima and Enoch Hawkins, by the 
Rev. Ebenezer Kingsbury. June 13, 
1813, at Windsor, David and Daniel 
baptized by Rev. Joshua Johnson. 
Malcom N. Hawkins married Fannie 
Fowler, formerly of Bennington, Vt., 
they were married in Coventry by 
Squire Hutchinson about 1820. The 
names of their children and date of 
birth is as follows: 

Eleanor, born June 14, 1825. 

Elizabeth, born December 6, 1828. 

Eben, born January 14, 1831. 

Emily, born March 6, 1833. 

Thomas, born October 15, 1834. 

Nathan, born June 30, 1837. 

Alfred, born September 17, 1840. 

Chloe, born April 19, 1843. 

All these were born in Coventry 
and all removed to Windsor, N. Y., 
except Eleanor, when quite young, 
where they have spent their lives. 
Malcom N. Hawkins sold part of his 
farm east of the highway to Wil- 
liam Kales and removed to the 
western part where he built a new 
house and grist mill and saw mill 
combined. After living there several 
years he sold to his son-in-law, Pom- 
eroy Adkins, and removed to Wind- 
sor in 1849, where he spent the rest 
of his life. He built another saw 
mill and operated it for a number of 
years. He did much to convert the 
wilderness into lumber. He died 
July 31, 1877, aged 78 years. All 
his children have been dead for 
many years, except Eben and Thomas 
and the youngest daughter, Mrs. 
Chloe Pulz. These reside in 

Windsor. 

Ransom Adkins, came from Con- 
necticut in the autumn of 1815 with 
an ox team and brought his wife and 
one child. He bought and settled on 
the north east part of the Juliand 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



farm, for a number of years occupied 
by the Whitten family. He worked 
at his trade as carpenter, built new 
buildings and improved his farm. 
He died August 30, 1823, aged 34 
years, leaving his wife with five 
small children. The children's 
names and dates of births were as 
follows: Lucy, born in 1811, in 
Connecticut; Pomeroy H., born April 
28, 1816; Adeline and Emiline, born 
December 17, 1818; Charles Ran- 
som, born May 22, 1822. The eldest 
daughter, Lucy, returned to Con- 
necticut after the death of her father 
to live with a relative where she 
later married Benjamin Hurlburt 
and never came to New York State 
but once again, then only for a visit. 
She died past 60 years of age, leav- 
ing three daughters. 

Pomeroy H. Adkins, married 
Eleanor, daughter of Malcom N. 
Hawkins November 15, 1846. Their 
children's names and ages were: 
Ransom H., born October 8, 1847; 
Malcom H., born April 27, 1851; 
Fannie Elizabeth, born June 13, 
1855; Lucy Ann, born June it, 
1858; Ellen Eliza, born April 12, 
1868. Malcom H., married Cora E. 
Root of Coventry, February 20, 
1879. They have since resided on 
the old Pike farm just south of the 
county line in Colesville till the 
spring of 19 07 when they sold their 
farm and removed to New Ohio, on 
the old McCollough farm. Ransom 
lives with his brother Malcom. Fan- 
nie Elizabeth married William H. 
Saxby of Windsor, December 25, 
189 9, where they have since resided. 
Lucy Ann married Elmer Seeley, 
-^- J^wie 1, 1866. They lived in Cov- 
I entry several years, then in the 

spring of 1898, moved on the home 
farm of her parents where they lived 
nine years, then removed to Afton 



where they now reside. Ellen Eliza, 
married Andrew Pearsall of Afton, 
May 29, 1895. In the year 18^8 
they moved to Windsor where they 
have since resided. Mr. and Mrs. 
Pomeroy" Adkins spent most of their 
lives in Coventry. He spent about 
two years in Illinois when a young 
man. In the autumn of 1863 they 
moved from Coventry just across the 
line in the town of Colesville, where 
they resided at the time of their 
deaths. Eleanor Hawkins Adkins 
died March 10, 1895, aged 70 years. 
Pomeroy H. Adkins died March 1^. 
1895, aged nearly 79 years. There 
were only 50 hours difference in 
their deaths. They were buried in 
South Windsor cemetery in one 
grave. Adeline Hawkins married 
Joseph Stevens; died February 14, 
19 03, aged 85 years. They had one 
daughter, Lenora, who married Piatt 
Thompson. She died young leaving 
one son, Henry, only a few months 
old. 

Mr. and Mrs. Stevens spent their 
married life on the Stevens farm 
Avhich was located on the road be- 
tween Church Hollow and Harpurs- 
ville, Emiline married Daniel Stev- 
ens, they resided several years on the 
Church Hollow road. He was a 
brother of Joseph Stevens. They 
afterwards removed to Lisle, Broome 
county, and spent, the rest of their 
lives in that vicinity. Emeline died 
in February, 1898, aged 80 years. 
Her husband having died many 
years before. Charles Ransom mar- 
ried Pamelia Christman, November 
1, 1846. Two children were born to 
them: Mary A. and Charles E. The 
former died November 24, 1872; the 
latter resides in Paullina, Iowa, 
Charles Ransom with his family 
moved to O'Brien county, Iowa, in 
the fall of 1877, where his wife died 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



2S 



February 22, 1882. He married 
Lovina Edgecomb for his second 
wife. He died March 27, 1900, aged 
7 7 years. Harry Adltins, a brother 
of Ransom, came from the east about 
the same time and settled on what is 
known as the Bradley Simmons farm 
on the part north of the highway. 
He had a family of four daughters 
and two sons: Ransom, Henry, Car- 
oline, Betsey, Eunice and Lucinda. 
Ransom died when a young man. 
Henry married, lived in Binghamton 
inany years, died about 60 years of 
age. He left no family except his 
wife. Caroline married Richard 
Stone; they lived on the Page Brook 
till the time of their death. They 
left no children. Betsey married 
Oliver Bennett. They resided on 
Page Brook at the time of their 
death. They left one son, Harry. 
Eunice married Mr. Fineout. She 
died about middle age, left two sons 
and one daughter. Mr. Fineout 
having died some years previous to 
her death. Lucinda married Rufus 
Bennett. They resided at Chenango 
Forks, where she is now living, the 
only surviving one of her father's 
family. They had two daughters: 
Irene and Jennie, both married and 
died young. Harry Adkins married 
Polly Clark. They are both buried 
in the old Chapel cemetery in Cov- 
entry. Phoebe Adkins, sister of 
Harry and Ransom, came from the 
East, married Mr. Warner and lived 
near Tunnel, N. Y., where some of 
her descendants still reside. Roxy 
Adkins, widow of Ransom Adkins, 
married John Fowler in the later 
part of 1824. Their children were: 
Noah, Hiram, Alonzo, Alfred, Adelia 
and Frederick. All of these are 
dead except Noah, the oldest son, 
who was born Sept. 6, 1825. He 
married Eliza Ann Packard, March 



6, 1851. They reside with their son, 
Charles J. Fowler, near Church Hol- 
low. Roxy Adkins Fowler died Sept. 
24, 1860, aged 67 years. John Fow- 
ler died Nov. 8, 1879, aged 83 years. 
He was formerly from Bennington 
county, Vt. They were buried in the 
old Chapel cemetery. 

Among those who settled in town 
quite early was William Tallman, 
who located about four miles south 
west of Coventry. I am informed he 
came from Pennsylvania and raised 
six children: Miranda, Virgil, Clark, 
Jane, Callista and Adelbert. Miran- 
da married C. K. Pierce of Coventry; 
Jane married Whitney Dusenberg of 
Windsor; Calista married a man by 
the name of Ogden; Adelbert mar- 
ried Eliza Kales; Virgil died when 
18 years old; Clark was killed in the 
Civil war. 

Reuben Cary came from Massa- 
chusetts about 1815, and, I am told 
settled on the farm now owned by 
Martha A. West, and lived there 
several years. Later he bought and 
settled on the place where he died, 
known as the George Cary farm, 
and raised a family of seven chil- 
dren, viz: Charles, Calvin, Gershom, 
Malancton, Sally, Mary and Lucretia. 
Charles married Lois, sister of Cal- 
vin Edgerton, and later moved west; 
Calvin married Harriet Holcomb; 
Gershom married Lucy Converse; 
Malancton settled in the west when 
young: Sally married Juvenel Gria- 
wold for his second wife; Mary 
never married, and Lucretia, mar- 
ried Howard Packard. 

A family by the name of Converse "^ 
came from Massachusetts, but we 
don't know the year. They lived 
where they first settled and he died 
in 1849. They had eight children: 
Jane married Truman Southworth; 
two sons John and Truman lived in 



2J^ 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



Coventry, both dead; one daughter, 
Lucy Jane, married a man by the 
name of Wood and lives in Cincinna- 
tus; Sarah married Nelson Case; Ru- 
fus married Mary Dort of Harpurs- 
ville; Lucy married Gershon Cary; 
Alvin married Phoebe Beardsley, 
Polly married Dr. Prentice, and 
Ellen married James Gillmore. 
Roxy died in 1855, having never 
married. The farm is still in the 
family. 

Joel Morse came from Massachu- 
setts and settled on a farm adjoin- 
ing the Converse farm, but we do 
not know the dates. He as well as 
Mr. Converse, run a sawmill in con- 
nection with his farm. They had 
seven children: Austin, who mar- 
ried Basha Ann Vinton: Russell, 
who married Lucretia Loop; Sally 
married Joseph Badger; Marvin mar- 
ried Melissa Griswold, and Jerome 
married Caroline Hurd; Juliand died 
young; Irene married later a man in 
the west by the name of Lamb. 
Joel Morse married for his first wife 
Susan Munger, who died in 1851. 
He afterwards married a widow 
Treadwell, and in the spring of 
1854 sold his farm to Jarvis McLane 
and with his son Jerome went west 
and died there. 

William, John, Amos and Judith 
Tuckey came from England in 1830 
and settled in the town of Butter- 
nuts. Ten years later Amos and 
William came to Coventry and 
bought a farm of Larkin Packard, 
next south of the Tallman and Con- 
verse farms. William married Mary 
Ann Converse and they raised six 
children: Mary Ann married Wil- 
liam Kasson; Nancy married Marcus 
Hunter; Olive married Wilson Page; 
Rosa married George Wedge; James 
married Julia Garrison, and Jane 
never married. Amos Tuckey lived 



several years on the farm with his 
brother. He then sold his interest 
to him and bought out Augustus 
Smith, adjoining and lived there 
until he died in 1884, aged 75 years. 
He married Phebe Perrine Converse, 
and they raised two daughters: 
Frances E., who married Ira Fair- 
child in 1869, and Euphemia, who 
died in 1909, unmarried. Phoebe 
Tuckey died in 1872, aged 57 years, 
and William died in 1875, aged 69 
years. 

As we have been writing about the 
early settlers, when they came to 
Coventry, where they lived, when 
and where they died, and as Anna 
Y. Hungerford, was one of the early 
pioneers we think it would not be 
out of place to put in a poem here 
of her 100th anniversary, written by 
Mrs. Cordelia Beardsley Wilder. 
One Hundredth Anniversary of Anna 

Y. Hunaerford, Coventi-y. 
Turn backward the years of time, 

dear mother, 
And let the bright scenes o- fond 

memory come. 
When you lovingly watched o'er the 

days of our childhood; 
The days long ago in the old house 

at home. 
You may list once again for the 

echoes, dear mother. 
Of wild rippling laughter, so joyous 

and free; 
You may rock us to sleep, and then 

watch o'er our slumbers. 
While a Father in Heaven shall 

watch over thee. 
You may listen once more for the 

quick, eager patter 
Of swift, tiny feet on the old kitchen 

floor; 
You may smile at our loss, as we 

search for the sunbeams. 
Darting bright rays through the half 

open door. 
We will twine just again the wild 

buds and sweet daisies. 
In your bright, golden hair, as in 

days that are flown; 
We will wait for thy kisses to lavish 

each sorrow. 



HISTORY OP THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



25 



Dear mother we'll sing the old music, 

"Sweet Home." 
Then we know not a care, not a 

grief, nor a sorrow; 
You lavish each tear with a mother's 

fond kiss; 
You guided our feet in the way of 

our Saviour; 
t)ear mother, we'll greet you in man- 
sions of bliss. 
Already thy feet have nigh touched 

the chill waters; 
Thou hast trusted in Jesus, thy 

crown hath been won. 
Dear mother, v/e'll sing as we jour- 
ney together, 
The soul-cheering anthem, "We're 
All Going Home." 
Amasa Ives came to this town at 
an early date when a young man, 
the exact time is uncertain. He was 
a strong, leading character, a man of 
thrift and influence. He married 
Patty, daughter of John and Abigail 
Miles. He united with the church 
in January, 1808; and when the ed- 
ifice was cleared of debt in 1820, he 
was one of the men who paid the 
\ highest sum, $200. Ozias Yale was 
the other. 

Brownell Bulkeley emigrated from 
Stonington, Conn., to Coventry in 
1808. He bought the farm where 
his grandpon Robert, now lives, and 
built a log house which was his home 
for several years. He married Miss 
Dellia Worth of Connecticut, an ac- 
complished and spiritually minded 
lady. They were remarkably cour- 
teous and hospitable, liberal in the 
support of the gospel and widely 
respected. Bulkeley was a man of 
marked personalitJ^ successful in his 
business and consistent in his sup- 
port of all that was good. When he 
vacated the log house he built what 
is now the rear of the Bulkley 
home. They moved into it on 
Saturday and their son, George, was 
born there the next Sabbath morn- 
ing. They had three children: 



George, Francis, and Julia. The 
mother, a Christian truly born of 
the spirit, gave her children spirit- 
ual teaching and was careful of their 
intellectual development. George 
went to Oxford and Catskill to 
school; Francis was a graduate of 
Union College, and Julia went to 
Oxford and Albertsville to study, and 
at the last named place she met Mr. 
Converse, who became her husband. 
After her marriage she resided at 
Elmira and her two daughters were 
graduates of the Female college in 
that city. Francis Bulkley went 
south, married Grace Adams and 
now has descendants residing at 
Gadsden, S. C. George Bulkley liv- 
ed at the homestead in Coventry 
and the original house was enlarged 
to its present dimentions. The par- 
ents and son formed one family. 
Mrs. A. P. Bulkeley, the widow of 
George, has lived 63 years in the 
original home of the family, and 
forty-eight of these years she has 
been a Sunday school teacher. Rob- 
ert S. Bulkley, her son, has been the 
Sunday school superintendent for 
eighteen years. Miss Betsey Bulkley, 
the sister of Brownell, visited the 
home of her brother in Coventry and 
she became the wife of Philo Yale. 
Russel Waters came to Coventry 
in 1808 when 21 years of age, and 
subsequently married Roxy, daugh- 
ter of John and Abigail Miles. Eph- 
ram Waters, a younger brother, fol- 
lowed in 1816. He married a daugh- 
ter of Rev. Charles Thorp, the pastor. 
Later he came in possession of the 
Thorp farm, situated on the rise of 
ground a short distance east of Cov- 
entryville, where he lived for more 
than 40 years a life of great useful- 
ness, influential and efficient in all 
that pertained to the development 
and progress of church and com- 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



munity. 

The Benedicts formed a numerous 
family and some of them were prom- 
inent in the history of the church. 
They were children of Captain Ben- 
jamin Benedict, who served in the 
Revolutionary war as lieutenant. He 
came to Coventry in 1807 from Win- 
chester, Conn., and all the rest of 
that name came from the same place. 
Abijah Benedict with his wife, Abi- 
gail, removed to Coventry in 1800. 
They were members of the pioneer 
church organized in 1807. He was 
the man that hewed the first stick 
of timber for the new meeting house. 
Eliakim Benedict and his wife, Ruth 
Ann, settled in Coventry in 1801. 
He was then twenty-three years old. 
Ruth Ann, was one of the original 
members of the historical little 
church of 1807. Eben Benedict, and 
Miranda, his wife, moved to Cov- 
entry in 1803. He was the grand- 
father of William Henry Benedict, 
the son of Ira, who died in April, 
1904, the year of our centennial. He 
served the church as a deacon and 
Sunday school superintendent. He 
was also the minister's friend, one 
who united the historical past with 
the present. Mrs. William Henry 
Benedict, wife of the above named, 
has been the poetess of the church, 
is endowed with a rare gift of metri- 
cal composition. The authoress of 
many choice productions; many an- 
niversary poems of historic and local 
value, and poems read at soldiers 
graves at the May day decorations. 
A volume of her poems printed a few 
years since exhibits fine poetic ability 
and is pleasantly valued by her 
friends. Mrs. Benedict is living 
among us at this date, 1912, honored 
and beloved by all who know her. 
She, too is one who unites the pres- 
ent with the past. 



CHAPTER V 

A Continuation of the Settlers that 
Came Later 
Reuben Rolph came from Long 
Island in 1837 and settled three 
miles south of Coventry, on what is 
now known as the Dr. Beardsley 
estate. He had 800 acres of land 
and owned a factory and made 
cheese; keeping over one hundred 
cows, and was very prominent in 
public affairs in the town. He was 
married three times. His first two 
wives were sisters, they came from 
Long Island. I don't know their 
names. He had one son by his first 
wife, named Moses. His third wife 
was a Phillips of Coventry, and she 
bore him three children. In 1869 
he sold out and moved with his fam- 
ily to Virginia, where he bought sev- 
eral hundred acres of land and farm- 
ed it there until his death. 

Erastus Butts came to this town 
early and settled on the Folds farm. 
Ralph Johnson, one of the early 
pioneers, settled in the western part 
of the town. He had four boys, all 
good farmers and all strong sup- 
porters in the Second Congregational 
church. 

John Burge, emigrated to this 
town in the thirties, and lived where 
Claude Wilder now lives. 

Matthew Smith, Sr., came about 
the same time and lived a year or 
two at the east part, then moved to 
the village where he lived a number 
of years. He was a carpenter and 
was the head workman on the Bap- 
tist church here that they are now 
tearing down. He helped build many 
of the houses in the village. He 
moved to the Four Corners west of 
Coventry, where Leroy Hodge now 
lives. His son, Matthew Smith, Jr., 
now lives one mile west of Coventry 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



27 



on the farm known as the Joseph 
Johnson place. 

Joseph Johnson, son of Ralph 
Johnson, married Hepsey Stoddard, 
and lived on this farm till his death. 
He was a carpenter as well as 
farmer. 

Dr. Frisbie and Tracy Allen came 
from Connecticut at an early date 
and settled in the western part of the 
town. Many are the anecdotes re- 
lated about Dr. Frisbie. We can't 
write many but to do justice to the 
man we must relate a few to show 
his courage and also his skill as a 
steel worker. When it was danger- 
ous to travel the roads at night on 
account of wild beasts, some one 
offered to bet with him that he would 
not dare run from the house where 
T. M. Williams now lives to Cov- 
entryville in the night. He took the 
bet and won in this way. They 
made some kind of an image as hid- 
eous as possible, and placed it in the 
road about half way and then hid 
to see what he would do when he 
saw it. As soon as he saw it he 
made up his mind that he would not 
stop if it killed him, and without 
slacking his run, grabbed the object 
and carried it to the end of the race. 
Public travel in those days was most- 
ly by stage coach. Frisbie, with a 
number of others, was traveling in 
the southern states in that way. As 
they were going along over a rough 
road the heavy load caused the 
springs to break. The driver stopped 
and the passengers got out. What 
to do the driver and the other pas- 
sengers did not know, Mr. Frisbie 
asked: "Is there a blacksmith sho> 
near." The driA^er said yes. Then 
he said: "We can walk there and 
get the springs mended." The driver 
said the blacksmith could not weld 
them. "Well," said Frisbie, "if he 



can't, I can." So they all walked to 
the shop, took off the horses, blocked 
up the coach, took out the springs 
and with help of the blacksmith 
Soon had the broken spring mended 
and they went to the end of their 
journey. The driver then asked 
Frisbie how much he should pay 
him. He told him nothing. Where- 
upon the driver begged him to ac- 
cept as a present $10, which he did. 
In after years he made a full set of 
butcher knives and a wooden case to 
put them in, each one separate so 
they could not dull and gave them to 
James S. Parker, who kept them for 
many years. When in advanced life, 
he having no more use for them, he 
gave them to his nephew, Burton D. 
Jones, who now has them. I can 
well remember when a boy of his 
coming across by my father's when 
he went to Coventry, and most al- 
ways stopped to dinner. When squir- 
rels were plenty he always brought 
his gun and used to shoot more or 
less of them. One day he took 
thirteen from my father's woods. 

Thomas and Austin Elliott were 
among the early settlers. They were 
quite hunters, making a great deal of 
money from the bounties that were 
paid. It was hard getting a trap in 
those days that would hold a panther 
or bear, so they invented one of their 
own. One fall when it got to be al- 
most winter and there was not much 
for wild animals to get, they had an 
old horse that they thought was not 
worth wintering and took it out 
into the woods and killed it, making 
a pen around it, putting large logs to 
the bottom and smaller ones as they 
went up, notching and drawing them 
in as they went up, leaving a space 
about six feet square on the top and 
about eight feet high. The animals 
had to climb up and down and once 



28 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



in there they were in a trap they 
could not jump out. The next morn- 
ing they would go and shoot them 
and get the bounty, thus making the 
old horse worth more to them than 
a good team would be today. 

John Fowler came in from Ver- 
mont in the early twenties. I need 
not speak of his family as they have 
already been mentioned in connec- 
tion with the Adkins family. 

Oliver Badger came here about 
1812 and settled where Henry Spen- 
cer now lives. I have no authority 
to say where he came from, but 1 
presume he came from Connecticut, 
there is where the most of the early 
settlers came from. He was promi- 
nent in the town and also in the M. 
E. church, holding several offices in 
the church. He had a large family 
of children, how many and what 
their names were I cannot tell. I 
have heard my mother say that 
there were seven that came to school 
from there at one time; seven from 
Philo Clemmon's and seven from 
David Hungerford's, all in the same 
district and all at the same time. 

Whitney Cornish was one of the 
early settlers, living in the hollow 
west of W. H. Spencer's. He, too, 
had a large family. Fred Cornish, 
living on the S. B. Foot farm, is a 
grandson, and his family is the only 
descendants in the town. He also 
supported the M. E. church. 

Let me say right here that there 
were a good many families that came 
to this town, stayed a few years and 
then moved away, of whom I can get 
no record. 

A little later came Augustus Trow- 
bridge, another farmer and good 
citizen. He was. a Strong supporter 
of the Second Congregational church, 
and had a son and daughter. 

Wakely Jones was among the 



early ones. His son Henry was 
known far and near as the best horse 
doctor in this section of the State. 

Uri Watrous, for many years a 
farmer, was one of the prominent 
men in the western part of the town; 
lived where Clifford Wylie now lives. 
He had three children: Eugenie, 
who married John Fairchild, after- 
ward T. D. Parker; Jerome, who 
married Eva Baird, and Nettie J., 
who married Clifford Wylie. 

Of Zera Beardsley no record haS 
been found, but he came into the 
town at an early date and settled 
about two miles west of Coventry. 
Two sons, Augustus and Bronson, 
both residents of Coventry. The 
latter was killed in the Civil war. 
Josiah Beardsley, a blacksmith, lived 
one-half mile west of Coventry. 
Stelson lived two miles north west 
of Coventry; had a son Samuel and 
a daughter Julia. All three brothers 
were noted men and came from Con- 
necticut. 

Thaddeus Hoyt came to Coventry 
in 1836. He had a large family. 
Two sons were ministers, Willard 
was the founder of the Presbyterian 
church of Nineveh and for many 
years its pastor. Ephraim was a 
Baptist minister and lived at Bath, 
Steuben county, N. Y., Matthew mar- 
ried Rebecca Stewart. Their chil- 
dren were: James T., who died in 
the Civil war; Sarah E.; Edward P.; 
Alice C; and Emma L., who mar- 
ried Samuel A. Beardsley; one child, 
Emma. Susan A. Hoyt died Sept. 
20,1851. Mary P., married Vincent 
White. Their children were: Henry 
v.; John S.; Thaddeus; William; 
Vincent and Mary. The rest of the 
Hoyts lived out of town. 

Samuel Griswold came into the 
town at an early date and settled 
one-half mile west of Coventryville 



HISTORY OP THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



29 



on the place which Noyes Griswold 
now owns. He married a Miss 
Trumbull. They had five children: 
Electa, who married Stilson Beards- 
ley; Juvenal, Albert and Frank. 
Samuel had one son, Lucius. Harry, 
who married Anadine Gilmore and 
had one son, Noyes. Egford, who 
lived a single life. 

Perry Gilmore emigrated to this 
town at an early date. He had a 
large family, but of only two can I 
get any track. Anadine, just spoken 
of, who married Harry Griswold, and 
Beriah, who married and had a fam- 
ily; one son, Charles, who was a 
soldier in the Civil war; a pair of 
twin girls, and one other child. He 
was a business man, holding several 
town offices, also a worker in the 
Baptist church. 

Paul Beardsley, in the south east 
part of the town, was one of the 
early settlers. He had three chil- 
dren: Seba, Horace and Polly, who 
married David Hunt. Seba's chil- 
dren were: Sally Ann, a maiden 
lady; Juliette, who married Theron 
Reed; Sophrona, who married Hi- 
ram Blakeslee; Harriet, David, 
George and Oscar, who was a Uni- 
versalist minister. He settled on the 
place where Eugene Smith now lives. 
Horace settled on the place where 
Seba Blakeslee now lives. He mar- 
ried Clarissa Payne and had no chil- 
dren. In the latter part of his life 
he lived at Coventry. He was a 
strong supporter of the M. E. church, 
holding several offices in it and left 
a dowry for its use. 

Enoch Carrington was one of the 
early settlers. He located about one 
mile south of Coventry on what was 
part of James Whitlock's farm. He 
afterwards moved to the south east 
part of the town, where his chil- 
dren lived and died when well ad- 



vanced in years. 

Nelson Wright came from Oxford 
about 1869 and settled in the south 
east part of the town. He had two 
daughters: Mary, who married Ed- 
win Nickerson, July 23, 1879, and 
Martha, who married Lewis Poot. 

Christopher Rogers had a number 
of children. They all lived in town 
until maturity. His son, Alphonzo 
E. Rogers, lived and died in this 
town. He had four children: One 
married Chester L .Jones; another 
married Henry D. Brigham; J. E. 
and Charles Rogers are now living, 
the latter has been supervisor, and 
also held other town offices. He had 
two sons and one daughter. 

John Niven came into the town 
later and settled three miles south 
east of Coventry. They had four 
children. His wife was a Converse. 
Their daughter, Mary Ann, married 
a Williams; Matilda, married Ira 
Nobles; Daniel married Roza Hodgfe. 
They had a daughter who married 
Harvey Smith of Doraville, N. Y., 
now deceased, but she is still living. 
A son, Charles, now deceased, who 
lived in Binghamton. John Niven, 
Jr., married Emily Tyler, they had 
two children: George, now deceased, 
a farmer, and Ella Niven Truesdell. 

Harvey Tyler came here in 1816 
and settled where Mrs. A. Manwar- 
ren now lives. He married Eunice 
Briggs. He came from Connecticut 
and had nine girls: Nancy, married 
a Badger; Harriet, died young; Em- 
ily married John Niven; Susan mar- 
ried Henry Plum of Connecticut; 
Eunice, married A. Hardy of Wis- 
consin; , married M. T. Hoyt; 

Antha, married L. Manwarren; Mary, 
married C. Rogers; Helen, died at 
4 years of age. 

HiraiiT Parker's Family 

Betsey Ann Parker, born Sept. 17, 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



1826; Susan Parker, born Dec. 3. 
1829; Eunice Parker, born Feb. 7, 
1832; Timothy D. Parker, born June 
1, 1834; Abijah T. Parker, born 
Aug. 20, 1841. Betsey Ann married 
Thomas Tift and now lives in Cov- 
entry. Mr. Tift is dead. Eunice 
married Samuel Watrous, lived in 
Colesville, Broome county; Susan 
married Frank Williams; Abijah 
married Catherine Wheeler, lived in 
Kansas; Timothy D., married Ade- 
laide Smith, afterwards Eugenie 
Watrous Fairchild. Hiram Parker's 
grandchildren: Thomas Tift's chil- 
dren, Emogene, Frank, George and 
Addie. William's family: one son, 
died in infancy: one adopted son. 
Samuel Watrous had one daughter, 
Libbie; Timothy D's., children: Ad- 
die by his first wife; Lena, who died 
when 4 years old; Ray, Ruth and 
Bessie by his second wife. Abijah's 
children: Lottie, Catherine and 
Earl, who died at 12 years. 

As early as 1838, a man by the 
name of Anthony Cole owned the 
farm adjoining the David Hunger- 
ford farm, and died there. After- 
wards the family sold the place to 
Bela Hungerford who kept it till 
18 4 5, when he sold it to Oris Tubbs 
and moved west. Three years later 
Tubbs sold it to Western Holcomb, 
who worked it for seven years and 
ran a coopershop in connection with 
the farm. In 1855 he sold it to 
Noah Fowler and moved to Greene. 
Since then Henry Juliand bought it 
of Fowler, who for many years rent- 
ed it to Mr. Whitten, who with his 
wife has passed away. Their son, 
Colonel R., and daughter, Phoebe, 
now live in Greene. Phoebe is teach- 
ing school. Her brother Frank is an 
architect. He had the overseeing of 
the building of the stone Episcopal 
church in Greene, and the 14-story 



Press building in Binghamton. 
Early Incidents 

In the days of the very early set- 
tlers when fierce wild animals and 
wilder red men roamed the forest 
day and night around the log houses 
of the early white inhabitants, it was 
necessary for them to build yards for 
their horses, oxen, cows, calves, 
sheep and pigs, when they were so 
fortunate as to own them. They 
w^ere usually built in this way, by 
log fence, something like a rail fence, 
the large logs at the bottom then 
smaller and smaller until they reach- 
ed the top, perhaps eight feet high. 
Then if they left it in that way it 
was not safe so they would add 
sharp pointed pickets made of small 
round poles near each other fastened 
to the side of the fence or driven 
into auger holes on the top log, ex- 
tending up two feet or more. The 
wolves and wild animals would look 
a long time before trying to jump 
over such a picket fence. Such is 
the protection they had to give their 
stock at night until they could do 
better. Even then they would lose 
some, for they had to let them out 
days to get food for themselves. 
Those that had bells for their cows 
and sheep could usually find them 
and drive them home for safety. 
Living here then brought a large 
amount of hard work and much earn- 
est care and considerable fear for 
those early settlers, who came to 
establish homes in the wild woods 
for themselves and their children. 
Before they could raise stock for 
market they had to trust to their 
eye, their hand and their flint lock 
rifles to furnish them their supply, 
which was not easily produced. Mr. 
Manning was one of the hunters. 
During the years he passed here, 
besides all other wild animals he 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



31 



shot, he brought down with his 
rifle ninety-nine deer, afterwards he 
threw a stone with his hand and 
killed another, making an even hun- 
dred. Record Wilber was another 
hunter. He sometimes left his wife 
alone in their home in the morning 
to go in search for deer and would 
wander so far that when night came 
on he could not return. On one of 
these hunts he found himself five 
miles from home and very tired, so 
he ate what he had for supper, sat 
down with his back against a tree 
and with his rifle across his lap slept 
soundly during the night. When he 
awoke in the morning and opened 
his eyes the first thing he saw stand- 
ing near and looking sharp at him 
was what he had sought for in vain 
the day before, a deer. As he looked 
at the deer he thought to himself if 
I only had my rifle I could kill him. 
By an involuntary motion of his 
hand he touched it. The deer also 
saw his motion, and before he could 
raise the rifle and flre it was out of 
sight, so he lost him. Being very 
courageous he never let a chance go 
by to kill any wild beast that came 
in his way. He did not keep an ac- 
count of the number of wild beasts 
which he had killed, but he took the 
skin from 43 bears which he had 
brought down. If they had wanted 
to they could have dressed in furs 
every winter. Some of the settlers 
did use deerskins for clothing and 
the Indians dressed in them. There 
was an Indian settlement on the 
creek near the west side of Mr. Wil- 
ber's farm. The Indians often came 
to his house to borrow things, most- 
ly his rifle and butcher knives. He 
and his wife did not like to lend 
them, but did sometimes rather than 
make them angry, for they were a 
wild set of red men hardly safe at 



best to live among. The creek was 
well filled with trout and red and 
white men took them when they 
pleased, providing they were able to 
catch them. Mr. Wilber cleared up 
his farm, built a good frame house 
and barn, owned considerable stock, 
was a good liver, and although he 
worked hard had enjoyed good 
health and lived within a few months 
of 100 years of age. 

Philo Clemmens came in at an 
early date and settled in the hollow 
east of Henry Spencer's. His chil- 
dren were: Wylie, who was drown- 
ed when a young man while going 
down the river with a raft; Deborah, 
who married Joseph Badger. Their 
children were Sarah Ann, Chester, 
James, Lucinda and Mary. Lucinda 
married Silas Gould and had one 
child, John Wylie; Jane married 
Rosell Salisbury; children: George, 
Sarah, Julia and Harry; Maria, 
married Hale Salisbury; children: 
Warren, Wylie and Janett; Polly, 
married Richard Hinckley; children: 
Sarah, Watrous, Eugenie and Betsey, 
who married Uri Watrous. Children: 
Eugenie, Jerome, and Nettie; Eliza 
married Youngs. 

Porter 

A man by the name of Marcus 
Porter, an early settler, lived one 
mile west of Coventry, where Mr. 
Grover now lives. I have not been 
able to get a history of the family. 
I think they came from Connecticut. 
They were members of the Second 
Congregational church. I think they 
had no children and that he was a 
farmer and was well to do. They 
both died in a few days of each 
other in 1872. 

The Foot Family 

Joseph Foot, an old Revolutionary 
soldier, came in soon after his son 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



Apollos, who came about 1788. He 
settled on the farm where Edgar 
Waters now ilves and had three 
sons and three daughters. He was a 
man who accumulated a large fort- 
une and at one time he owned about 
seven hundred acres of land. He 
and his sons were business men well 
known in Coventry, and strong pil- 
lars in the M. E. church. Joseph 
Foot was over one hundred years old 
when he died. His children were: 
Apollos, Alanson, and Lodema. 
Apollos, married Amelia Nicholson 
and his children were: George who 
married Sarah Wells. His children 
were: Leroy, Elizabeth, Amelia, 
Monroe, Lillian, Anna, Apollos; 
Isaac married and had no children; 
Theresa married Delen C. Winston. 
Their children were: Denison, who 
married Nancy Eliott; Adelbert and 
Marion; Jennie, married Stephen 
Kind, afterwards Layer Chatman; 
Jenette, married John S. Barnes; 
children: Charles, Emma, Frank 
and Theresa. She afterwards mar- 
ried Reuben Palmer. Harriet, who 
married Madison King. Their chil- 
dren were: Arthur and Mable. 
Frederick, married Mary Hidgin. 
Children: Prank, Harry, Hattie, 
Leon and Croy. Floyd died young. 
Legrand's children: Emma and 
Walter. Rosa, married William 
Marble. Children: Eugenie, Floyd, 
Charles, Ely, Nellie, Frederick, 
Archie. Melissa married Albert. 
Griswold, and had one son, Albert. 
Afterwards married Charles Hinman. 
Children: Balis, Henry, Charles, 
Ida. Milicent, married Ransom 
Wright. Children: Apollos, Mary, 
Jane, Josephine. T. B. Foot mar- 
ried Henrietta Hinckley. Children: 
Sumner, Deforest, Clarence and 
Blanch, Ezra Foot married Harriet 
Cohoon. Children: Nellie, Hattie, 



Raymond, Minnie. Alanson Foot, 
brother to Apollos, married Theresa 
Hinman. Children: Joseph, Oscar, 
Melvin, Marietta. Melvin married 
Emma Griswold. Marietta married 
William Conover. Lodema Foot 
died young. Eliza Foot, sister of 
Apollos, married Charles Martin, 
and had one son, Charles. 
The Porter Family 
Sanuiel Porter came from Connec- 
ticut in the year 1808, with two 
yoke of oxen and a pair of horses. 
His wife's name was Cibil Munson. 
Their children were: Sterihon, 

Obadiah, Azubak, Marshal, Samuel, 
Munson, Sheldon, Loren B. and 
Leonard. Sheldon married Parmelia 
Balis. His children were: William, 
Leonard, Rebecca, Samuel and 
Stephen. Leonard married Martha 
Buckley. His children were: Jane, 
Emily, Samuel, George, Dolly, Lu- 
cious who died young, and Julia. 

Loren B., married Beardsley. 

His children were: Eliza, Charles, 
Lucy, Sarah and Edward. The Por- 
ters settled on the place where Fred 
Porter now lives. The old barn a 
little north of Fred's house was built 
in 18 09, the same sidings are on it 
that were first put on, rough pine 
boards 103 years ago and are in a 
fair way to last another century. 
The barn was never painted. Oh, 
for more of the old hill pine, we 
would not have to shingle our houses 
so often. The Porters were all or 
nearly all farmers and mechanics. 
At one time they run a chair factory. 
The house that Edward lives in 
stood across the creek and was built 
for a factory. Sheldon moved to the 
south-eastern part of the town; lived 
and died there. Leonard lived and 
died on the old homestead for many 
years. He moved to Iowa in 1857. 
Lorin lived and died where his son 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



3B 



Edward now lives. 

Spencer Family 

William Spencer came to this town 
about 1797 and settled where Prank 
Manning now lives. He had three 
sons and one daughter: Dorcas, who 
married Leonard Parker and had 
two sons, Prank and Richard, and 
one daughter. Zeba Spencer mar- 
^ ried Polly Blakesley, died and had 
no children. She afterwards mar- 
ried Moses Allis. Phineas S., mar- 
ried and had a large family. Wil- 
liam Spencer, Jr., married Polly 
Butts and lived where his son Henry 
now lives. His children were: Bet- 
sey, who married Thomas Terry who 
run a woolen mill at Bettsburgh. 
Morgan, married Catherine Van 
Valkenburgh, and had four boys. 
Sarah, married Robert Odell, and 
had three children. Nelson H., mar- 
ried Hannah Pratt, four sons and 
one daughter were the result of their 
marriage. Byron married Josephine 
Jones. Pranklin married A. Anna 
Paddleford and had three boys and 
two girls. W. H. Spencer, married 
Mary E. Salisbury and had one son 
and two daughters. He had been 
quite a prominent man in town af- 
fairs and also in the M. E. church. 
Seba Spencer, kept a hotel here and 
I think built the one that stands 
now. Phineas was a farmer. One 
day while chopping wood he felled a 
tree across a log and his little child, 
unbeknown to him, had come out 
and stood on the other side of the 
log. When the tree fell the top 
whipped over the log and killed the 
child, and he did not know it till he 
trimmed out the tree and saw her 
lying there. 

Badger Family 

Oliver Badger came in here quite 
early, the exact date is unknown. 



He married Lucretia Butts. Chil- 
dren: two boys, William and Orin 
and a daughter, Elizabeth. Debe- 
dire Eliza Butts married a Mr. 
Leach, had one daughter who mar- 
ried a man by the name of Birdsall, 
a Baptist minister, and moved to 
Ohio. 

Jonathan At water, early settler, 
lived just west of W. H. Spencer's, 
and had one son, Gerrett, who lived 
here several years and had a large 
family. 

The Root family lived where Ed- 
gar Waters lives and one son became 
editor of a paper in Kansas. 

Joseph Ackley, an early settler, 
had a family. One grandson, 
Charles Ackley, now living in town 
near the old homestead. 

Elisha Porter Family 

Elisha Porter, an early settler, 
came from Connecticut and settled 
three miles south west from Cov- 
entry where Charles Ackley now 
lives. He had seven children: Wil- 
liam, Joseph, Phineas, Norman, Per- 
melia, Julia and Almira. Permelia 
married a man by the name of 
Hatch; Julia married George Edger- 
ton. 

Cornish Family 

Whiting Cornish married Temper- 
ance Wylie, an early settler about 
four miles south west of Coventry, 
date uncertain. Their children 
were: John, Maria, Lavonia, Tem- 
perence, George, Elizabeth, Whiting, 
Augustus, Sarah, Isabel and Jane. 
John married Romania Mandevllle; 
Maria married Augustus Trowbridge, 
Lavonia married first a Moore and 
second a Weston Holcomb; Temper- 
ance married Ezra Conant; George 
married widow Emeline Treadway 
Blakesley; Elizabeth married H. H. ^ 
Cook of Oxford, Whiting Augustus 



SM 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



married Mary Mallory; Sarah never 
married; Isabell married Rev. Lewis 
Hartsough, a Methodist minister, 
and is the last of the family; Jane 
married Dr. Harvey Beardsley. 

Srott Family 

Victor Scott came in quite early, 
settled about two miles south of Cov- 
entryville. He married Roxanna Lora. 
Their children were: Lucretia, 
George, Cordelia, Walter, Samuel, 
Melvin, Olive. Lucretia married Mil- 
ton Dickerson, George never mar- 
ried and died young. Cordelia mar- 
ried Frank Salisbury; Samuel was 
married twice; Walter married Rox- 
anna Newton; Melvin never married; 
Olive married Silas Beigh. 

Elliott Family 
Joseph Elliott and four sons, Abi- 
sha, Joab, Thomas and Adon, all 
grown up, came in here from Deer- 
field, Mass., in 1803 and settled in 
the south west part of the town. 
I cannot get a full history of them 
but what I have I will give. Joab 
Elliott married Nancy Hendric, of 
Massachusetts. Their children: 

Araasa, Eldredge, Cyrus, Edgecomb, 
Stephen, Andrew, Harry, Franklin 
and Nancy. Eldred married Man- 
dame Belden; Cyrus married Annia 
Beldin: Edgecomb married Sarah 
Spauldin; Stephen died young. An- 
drew married Jane Leach; Henry 
married a Miss Clearweather; 
Franklin never married; Nancy 
married Edwin Elliott; Joab, Jr., 
married Parmelia Mead. Children: 
Nancy, married Simeon Burrows and 
had two daughters; Sally, married 
David Kinsman and had two sons, 
Austin and Bliss, and one daughter, 
Augusta; Polly married Alanson 
Smith. Children: Buushabay, Fred- 
erick, Myron, Polly, and three died 
young: Franklin married Nancy 



Hinckley. Two children: Naomi 
and Franklin; Joseph, married Hel- 
en Wylie. Children: James, Dud- 
ley, Hial, Lucy and Mary; Betsey 
married Joshua Harrington. Chil- 
dren: Isabell, Francis, Wesley and 
Neg; John Elliott married Betsey 
Gould. Their children were: Jane, 
Nancy, Lenora, Kindric, Oliver and 
Hial; Jane married Chil- 
dren: Alice, Eugenie, Bela, Nancy, 
married and had no children; Leona, 
married and had one child; Kindric 
and Oliver never married; Hial mar- 
ried and had one son. Abisha El- 
liott's children: Marilla, Jerry and 
Abisha. 

An incident is related of Franklin 
Elliott, when a boy his father sent 
him to Haynes' mill on horseback 
with a grist to be ground. It was 
late when the grist was ready for 
him and it got dark. He had to go 
through a piece of woods and the 
wolves got after him; the horse 
snorted and run and he had to get 
his feet up on the grist to keep the 
wolves from getting him. When he 
got most home he came into the 
clearing and the wolves left him. 

As we have been writing about so 
many of the old settlers that have 
gone through the valley on to the 
beyond, we think it would be ap- 
propriate to put in a poem, written 
by Mrs. Cordelia Wilder, one of Cov- 
entry's poets: 

Shall We Know Each Other There 

When earth's fondest ties are riven 
And we've crossed the swelling tide, 
Shall we know our loved and loving 
Over on the other side? 
Shall we know the shouts of welcome 
From the loving ones that wait? 
Shall we know them as they're 

watching, 
Waiting at the golden gate? 

Little feet that here have pattered, 
Making music all the day: 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



35 



Little voices wild with laughter, 
Driving busy care away; 
Little hands that gathered flowers- 
Twined them gaily in our hair, 
Little lips that kissed us softly, 
Shall we know them "over there?" 

Shall we know the tender mother, 
Though we kiss her pale and cold, 
Though her hair was streaked with 

silver, 
There 'tis tinged with Heaven's gold. 
Yes! We'll know the sainted mother 
When we clasp her hand again, 
When she strikes one cord of music 
We shall catch the old refrain. 

We shall know earth's dearest 

treasures; 
Tread the golden streets with them. 
We shall join the Heavenly chorus, 
Chanting there one great amen. 
We shall wear bright crowns in glory 
If our crosses here we bear. 
We shall know our King our Saviour, 
And our loved ones "over there." 

Since writing about the old plank 
road that the Porters' built one- 
half mile for nothing, I have been 
informed that they furnished the 
plank and built the half mile for 
$300. 

A man by the name of Rollin 
Sweet came in from Connecticut. 
dnte unknown, but it must have been 
ery early, for he had to cut his own 
'-'■ad part of the way from Bain- 
bridge. He had a large family, and 
settled about two miles east of Cov- 
entryville. One grandson, William 
Sweet, is now living in the eastern 
part of the town. 

The Packard Family 

Anson Packard came here about 
1800 and settled one mile west of 
Coventry, on the farm now owned 
by Matthew Smith. Their children 
were: Sally, who married Caleb 
Merrill and their children were: 
Oliver, Nathaniel, George, Ira, Fred- 
erick, Ransom, Thomas, Julia, and 
Mary. Sulvia, married Samuel Ors- 
born: their children were: Allana, 



Louis, Emily, Sarah, Ira and Benja- 
min. Larkin married Amanda At- 
water; their children were: Adney, 
Harriet, Ira, Sylvester, Eliza Ann, 
Charles, Chester, Lydia, Callista, 
Anson Packard's children were: 
George, Stephen, Almira, Ann and 
Mary. Howard Packard married 
Lucretia Cary, and their children 
were: Lewis, Henry, Calvin and 
Sarah. Lida married Lewis Bene- 
dict, they lived in the west. Mercy 
married Eris Hotchkiss. Their chil- 
dren: Josephine, Lewis and Prank. 
Hannah, married Adolphus Stiles. 
Their children were: Emiline, 
Mercy, Larkin, Jane, Elizabeth and 
Laura. Laura Stiles married John 
Kelley of Coventry. One son, Frank, 
who married Addie Tifft, and one 
daughter, Laura, who married Fred- 
eric Porter of Coventry 

1815 To Mr. Charles Pearsall 1895 

We come on this day so fair and 

bright. 
Our hearts transfused with its rays 

of light, 
Till the inner depths most warmly 

glow. 
And with kindest greetings o'erflow. 

In winter time when winds are high. 
And snow and sleet go whirling by. 
We sit and dream of the brighter 

days 
Of summer time, with their golden 

rays. 

Or autumn's harvest born of bloom. 
And long to flee from the season's 

gloom; 
But we know that time will surely 

bring 
From under the snow the flowers of 

spring. 
So the years go passing swiftly by. 
Awhile with sunshine or clouded 

sky. 
And we often turn to the happy past, 
Davs of childhood that could not 

last! 

Let us look today, there's a picture 
bright 



S6 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



Of the old red house, now still in 

sight; 
We see again each pleasant nook, 
List to the sound of the babbling 

brook, — 
As its ripples break o'er our small 

bare feet. 
And eyes in sparkling glances meet, 
Or sit upon its pebbly shore, 
Watching our ship sail swiftly o'er. 

Proud ships borne from the old saw- 
mill. 

Bark and sawdust we see them still; 

And the gristmills wheel with merry 
sound 

Ever going its ceaseless round. 

We know where once the mill- 
troughs lay,— 

But all, like childhood, has gone 
away. 

For a moment we'll enter the open 
door, 

Where ever a welcome is in store. 

Cheerful faces within appear; 
Ripples of laughter greet the ear; 
While a strong man tosses a blue 

eyed boy, 
And a dark-eyed girl fills the cup of 

joy. 

Friend of my childhood, friend of 

my years! 
There are changes we see through a 

mist of tears, 
No longer we linger but turn away, 
Let joy rule the hours of the present 

day. 

Why are such numbers gathered 

here, 
With smiling faces and friendly 

cheer? 
Ah: the day will, as the birthday 

chime 
Rings out for one just in his prime. 

Eighty years with their joy and pain; 
Eighty years with their toil and 

gain; 
Ceaseless strivings and victory won. 
To be crowned at last with the glad 
"well done." 

Guarded still \vith the watchful care. 
Of those who your joys and sorrows 

share. 
Many or few as the years may roll, 
May you sing "there's sunshine in 

my soul." 



There's a happy bond on the unseeu 

shore, 
To welcome you when earth's work 

is o'er; 
Lovingly will they watch and wait 
Till you pass to them through life's 

sunset gate. 

James Wylie, Sr., came in from 
Columbia county, N. Y., in 1799, 
settled on what is now part of Guy 
Wylie's farm on the west side of the 
creek, between the creek and where 
Guy's house now stands. He built 
the first Wylie house. James Wylie, 
Jr., came in with his father, a man 
of a family, four sons and four 
daughters. Daniel married a Miss 
Edgerton; two sons and two daugh- 
ters. Betsey married William 
Thomas; two sons and two daugh- 
ters. James, the third, married 
Sally Fairchild; five sons and one 
daughter. Temperence, married 
Whiting Cornish; two sons and six 
daughters. Maria married a Mande- 
ville; one son and one daughter. 
Polly married a Burton; two sons 
and two daughters John married 
Estey Inckley; three sons, Floyd, 
Burton and James, the fourth. James 
Wylie, the third, his family: Thomas 
Wylie, born Dec. 27, 1815. Russel 
D. Wylie, born Dec. 27, 1817. J. 
Hoel Wylie, born April 8, 1820; 
George Wylie, born April 10, 1822; 
Hannah Wylie, born Nov. 17, 1825, 
and died Oct. 7, 1845; Hubbard H. 
Wylie, born Dec. 6, 1827; Joseph 
Wylie, born Sept 9, 1833, and died 
Dec. 9, 1845. James Wylie, the 
third, died Apr. 9, 1854, aged 68 
years. Sally, his wife, died May 11, 
1864, aged 74 years.. Hubbard H. 
Wylie married Sabra Brown. They 
had one child, Jessie S., born Oct. 
10, 1S67; died in Feb, 1886, aged 19 
years. Hubbard H., died Jan. 16, 
1910, aged 8 2 years. Thomas, died 
March 31, 1898. aged 83 years. J. 



HISTORY OP THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



U7 



Hoel died June 1, 1889, aged 69 
years. Russel, died June 25, 1896, 
aged 79 years. George died July 19, 
1900, aged 78 years. I think one 
son of James Wylie, Jr., named Sam- 
uel has been left out. He was the 
father of John and Hawley and sev- 
eral other children. It has been 
hard work for the writer to get any 
history of the Wylie family, he work- 
ed hard and long, traveled about 
twenty-five miles, before he could 
get any information, but at last, 
many thanks are due Burton Wylie 
and Mrs. Hubbard Wylie for all the 
information I have got has come 
from them. 

A family by the name of Wood- 
ward, settled in the south east part 
of the town at an early date, his first 
name I have not been able to learn. 
If I have been informed right he 
was the father of Darius, Heman and 
Yale Woodward. They were quite 
prominent in that part of the town. 
There are several grandchildren in 
town and some out of town. One 
granddaughter, Mrs. Charles Bush, 
lives near Nineveh. Edward Wood- 
ward of Coventry is a grandson, and 
Mrs. Henry Merell in the south east 
is a granddaughter, and I think there 
are several others that I do not call 
to mind. 

Stephen Fletcher, son of Joseph 
and Susan A. Sherwood Fletcher, 
was born at White Plains, West- 
chester, county, N. Y., April 12, 
1846. About the year 1850 his par- 
ents removed to Guilford, N. Y. He 
ettended school at East Guilford, and 
by diligence and hard work acquired 
an education so that he had taught 
school several terms. After which 
he learned the wagon maker's trade, 
but his health would not permit him 
to be shut in doors, and he had to 
give up wagon making. He next 



took up farming and followed it 
until his death, which occurred on 
May 15, 1908. On Nov. 5, 1873, he 
was united in the bonds of holy 
wedlock with Miss Jennie E. Beale of 
East Guilford. He farmed it in Guil- 
ford and Butternuts till 1886, when 
he removed to Coventry and lived 
here and farmed it the remainder of 
his life. In 1870 he united with the 
M. E. church at Rockdale and was 
one of the leading members, being 
superintendent a good share of the 
time; always taking part in the 
choir, and for a good many years in 
the latter part of his life was chor- 
ister. He was quite prominent in 
settling estates and drawing and 
proving wills. In politics he was a 
Republican until the Prohibition 
party came up, after which he voted 
the Prohibition ticket. 

CHAPTER VI 
Early Schools 

The first school house in the town 
was a log structure located about 
ten rods north of the Frank Pear- 
sail blacksmith shop. Sherman 
Page the first teacher, then a young 
single man, was a resident of Una- 
dilla and afterwards became some- 
what distinguished as a lawyer and 
legislator. 

Among the first school girls were 
Roxy Miles, Patty Miles, Hannah 
Yale and Sally Miles, who after- 
wards became the wives of Russell 
Waters, Amasa Ives, Seth Beckwith 

and Jones. Mrs. Waters died 

April 10, 1875, aged 85 years; her 
husband May 11, 1835, aged 48 
years. Mrs. Ives died March 16, 
185 8, aged 84 years, and her hus- 
band Oct. 6, 1823, aged 60 years. 
The first school taught is believed 
to be as early as 1790. After a few 
years another school house was built 



38 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



in what was called the Warren dis- 
trict. It stood between the lands 
once occupied by Erastus and Joel 
Judd families, known as the Benedict 
farm, and was afterwards removed 
to where Elam Barstow lived, where 
it remained until after that district 
was united with the Coventryville 
district. 

Town Officers 

The first town meeting was held 
in the school house near Burrige 
Miles', Coventryville, on Tuesday, 
March, 4, 1806, and the following 
named officers were elected: 

Supervisor — John Mandeville. 

Clerk — Roswell Marshall. 

Assessors — Jothan Parker, Moses 
AUis, Abijah, Benedict. 

Collector — Daniel Wylie. 

Overseerers of the Poor — Ozias 
^ Yale, Simeon Jones. 

Commissioners of Highways — 
John Stoddard, Samuel Martin, Na- 
thaniel Manwarring. 

Constables — Daniel Wylie, Jabez 
Manwarring. 

Fence Viewers — Benjamin Jones, 
Record Wilber, Luther Holcomb. 

Pound Keepers — Benjamin Bur- 
nett, Nathaniel Manwarring. 

Overseer of Highways — George 
LoWTey, Joel Goodenough, Peter 
Bowen, John Stoddard, Simon Jones, 
Benjamin Jones, Wm. M. Thomas, 
Nathaniel Manning, Henry Allen. 

Sealer of Weights and Measures — 
Oliver Parker. 

The following town officers were 
elected in February, 1880: 

Supervisor — James M. Phillips. 

Town Clerk — J. D. Guy. 

Justice — J. S. Parker. 

Commissioner of Highways — D. B. 
Easton. 

Overseer of the Poor— Miles Hart- 
well. 

Constables — Frank Pierce, Nelson 



Cohoon, Charles Laman. 

Inspectors of Election — District 
No. 1, Lucius Manwarring, H. C. In- 
gersoll, H. Willoughby; district No. 
2, to be appointed. 

Town Auditors — Romeo Warren, 
C. D. Newton, John Wylie. 

Excise Commissioner — Henry An- 
drews. 

Coventry Villaj;e 

Coventry is pleasantly situated a 
little north west of the center of the 
town, about seven miles east of 
Greene, and nine miles west of Bain- 
bridge. At present it is connected 
with Greene by daily stage. It con- 
tains two churches. Congregational 
and Methodist. The Baptist church 
has been sold and has been taken 
down. A district school, a hotel, the 
first in the village was built by 
Henry Allen shortly before 1812 and 
is now vacant; one general store, 
two grocery stores, a blacksmith 
shop owned and run by George End- 
ter; a wagon shop run by Eugene 
Mallory; a large creamery owned 
and run by the Dairy Product Co.; 
a shingle factory owned and run by 
Oral Dalton; two good carpenters, 
George Hamilton and Alva Dalton. 
The village has a population of 
about 100. 

Merchants 

The first merchants in Coventry 
were: Henry Allen, Samuel Scott, 
Benjamin Jones and Zenas Hutchin- 
son, who kept store in part of Henry 
Allen's hotel, commencing in Oct. 
1810. Dr. Diodate Cushman opened 
a store in 1818 or '19 and continued 
as late as 1827, about which time he 
left the town. George Ryder was 
associated with him about a year. 
William Church whose father, Jo- 
siah Church, from Vermont, was an 
early settler in Church Hollow, 
which place derives its name from 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



89 



him; commenced business about 
1830 in company with David Ever- 
ett, who sold out soon after, the 
latter of whom died Feb. 5, 1832, 
aged 33 years. About this time the 
business was discontinued. Church 
returned to Church Hollow and 
opened a store there. Chandler, re- 
sumed business about 1834, with G. 
D. Phillips, to whom after about a 
year he sold his interest. Mr. Phil- 
lips came from Greeneville, Greene 
county, and settled three miles south 
west of Coventry on what is known 
as the John Beal farm, where he 
engaged in farming, wagon making 
and running a foundry, which he 
continued until he engaged in mer- 
cantile business when he moved to 
the village, where he died Dec. 18, 
1872, aged 82 years. His wife lived 
and died in Coventry at an advanced 
age. From 1840 to 1858 he was as- 
sociated in the mercantile business 
with his sons, Edgar A., and James 
M. Phillips, under the firm name of 
G. D. Phillips & Sons. Amasa J. 
Hoyt became a partner in 1851, and 
Frederick LeRoy Martin in 1858, in 
which year the name was changed 
to Phillips, Hoyt & Martin. James 
M. Phillips withdrew in 1852, and F. 
L. Martin in 1860, after which the 
business was conducted by Phillips 
& Hoyt, until the death of the for- 
mer when it was carried on by Hoyt 
for a time, then by Hoyt & Kelley, 
and now is being conducted by Kel- 
ley & Son who keep a stock of gen- 
eral merchandise. 

Romeo Warren, William Church 
and Edwin Burge bought out Dr. 
Cushman. After about a year Rufus 
Chandler, bought out Burges' inter- 
est. The business was continued for 
about two years, when Chandler & 
Warren sold out to Church, who 
continued trading some four years. 



The grocery business was first con- 
ducted in the early sixties, by Alvin 
Converse who conducted it a few 
years and sold out to James Shouls, 
who continued the business a year or 
two. Then M. D. French used the 
store for a cabinet shop for a while. 
J. S. Parker and son commenced 
business in February, 1877, and con- 
tinued it some eight or ten years. 
H. L. Tower for three or four years 
and George Lewis some five years or 
more. About nine years ago A. P. 
Stanton came there and is now doing 
a good business. He also has the 
telephone central in his store. 

Postmasters 

The first postmaster in Coventry 
was Dr. Tracy Southworth, who was 
appointed about 1833, and held the 
office a number of years. G. D. 
Phillips next held the office five or 
six years, and was succeeded by his 
son, Edgar A., who held it some 
four years. George Cornish next held 
the office about two years, till his 
removal to Bainbridge. He was suc- 
ceeded by William Church, who was 
postmaster till about 1860, when his 
son Charles was appointed and kept 
it until June, 1861, when Amasa J. 
Hoyt was appointed. Hoyt was suc- 
ceeded by Mary A. Kales, Dec. 10, 
1877. H. L. Tower then took it for 
a few years; then by F. A. Kelley, 
where it still remains. 

Physicians 

The first physician was Diodate 
Cushman, who commenced practic- 
ing in the eastern part of the town 
as early as 1813. He afterwards 
located in Coventry and practiced 
there until within a few years of his 
death, which occurred about 1838, 
while on his way to New York with 
a drove of cattle. He was also en- 
gaged in mercantile business here 



JfO 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



and also at Chenango Forks. The 
next physician was Tracy South- 
worth, who came from New Berlin 
during the latter part of Cushman's 
practice as early as 1827, and prac- 
tced here for some ten years. Alfred 
Griffin came in about 1830, and was 
succeeded by Ashabel Wilmont, who 
removed in 18 43 to the western part 
of the State. George Sturges came 
from Coventryville in 1843, and 
practiced a year or two. S. B. Pren- 
tis practiced here some two years 
about 1845-6, and at a meeting of 
the County Medical Society, June 
6, 1846, was made the subject of 
commendatory resolutions by reason 
of his contemplated removal. He 
went to Kansas having sold his prac- 
tice here to Wm. H. Beardsley of 
Butternuts, who practiced here till 
1869, when he removed to a farm 
three miles south of Coventry where 
he practiced till his death. R. Otto- 
man came from Pennsylvania in 
1845, but remained only about a 
year. Dr. Prindle came here about 
1850, and practiced some fifteen 
years. Dr. Frank Beardsley came 
here while a young man and studied 
with his uncle, Dr. William Beards- 
ley, and became a prominent physi- 
cian, a great lecturer on anatomy; 
spending many years lecturing. He 
also became a great eye doctor. He 
went to Binghamton. and I think 
from there to New Haven, Conn. 

James D. Guy was born in Oxford, 
N. Y., Dec. 23, 1840, and studied 
medicine at Harpursville, Broome 
county, with his uncle. Dr. Ezekiel 
Guy, and at Nineveh in the same 
county with another uncle. Dr. Tim- 
othy Guy. He entered Geneva Med- 
ical College in the fall of 1866, and 
was graduated Jan 21, 1868, in 
which year he began to practice in 
Harpursville. He removed thence to 



Coventry November 28, 1869, when 
he practiced for about twenty-five 
years selling out to Dr. A. A. Guy, a 
cousin, who stayed here about two 
years. 

Dr. R. Lee Dodge came next and 
stayed about five years. Then Dr. 
Evans was here four or five years, 
and at present we are without a 
doctor. There is a good chance for 
some young man to locate here. 

Dr. Jesse E. Bartoo was born in 
Jasper, Steuben county, Feb. 2 8, 
1847. He studied medicine in Dans- 
ville, N. Y., with Dr. Preston and 
with Dr. R. P. Crandall in Greene. 
He entered the Electic Medical col- 
lege at Cincinnatti in the fall of 1875 
and graduated May 19, 1876. He 
commenced the practice of medicine 
in Greene that year and continued 
until the spring of 1879, when he 
removed to Coventry. He practiced 
here for a few years and then re- 
turned to Greene, where he is now 
living. 

Churches 

The Second Congregational So- 
ciety of Coventry was organized 
December 9, 1822, at a meeting held 
in the school house near Plaig 
Nichols', in said town, which was 
attended by David Beebe, Samuel 
Porter, Oliver Trumbull, John Minor, 
Parson Beecher and many other in- 
habitants of the town of Coventry. 
Samuel Martin was chosen modera- 
tor and William A. Martin clerk. 
Parson Beecher, Timothy B. Bidwell 
and Samuel Porter were elected 
trustees. The following named per- 
sons were members to January 5, 
1824: Samuel Martin, David Beebe, 
Ralph Johnson, Oliver Packard, Sam- 
uel Bronson, Philo Scott, Artemaa 
Goodno, Paul Beardsley, Gideon B. 
Minor, Samuel Porter, Calvin Thair, 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



4I 



Mark Scott, Juna Humiston, Ira S. 
Beardsley, John B. Hodge, Lemuel 
Beardsley, Jabez Manwarren, George 
L. Rider, Timothy B. Bidwell, Gil- 
bert D. Phillips, Sheldon Porter, 
Diodate Cushman, Anson Packard, 
Justice Dayton, Reuben J. Warner, 
James Smile, David Lowry, Parson 
Beecher, Enoch Johnson, Oliver 
Trumbull, John Niven, Daniel Rigby, 
Chauncey Smith, Abel M. Beardsley, 
Elisha Porter, Case Larkin, D. Pack- 
ard, Jonathan Atwater, Nathaniel 
Blakeslee, Elnathan Beebe, Henry 
Chandler, Reuben Cary, Luther 
Stork, Joel Smith, Rufus Chandler, 
Loren B. Porter, William A. Martin, 
David Chandler, Jeriah Seymour, 
Zebah W. Matson. 

At its organization the society 
consisted of twenty-seven members 
who withdrew from the First Con- 
gregational church of Coventry for 
that purpose. In the early part of 
1824 they commenced building their 
church edifice, which was finished 
during the year and dedicated in the 
early part of 1825. In 1849 the 
original building being found too 
small for the accomodation of the 
society it was decided to enlarge 
and repair it, which was done at a 
cost of $1,000. The church proper 
connected with this society was or- 
ganized June 21, 1845, as the Second 
Congregational church of Coventry. 
The original number was fourteen, 
viz: Calvin Thayer, Curtis Stod- 
dard, William A. Martin, David Bee- 
be, Samuel Porter, Lucy Porter. 
Phebe Martin, Sally Beardsley, 
Phebe Case, Margaret Beecher, Ar- 
zubak Trumbull, Esther Scott and 
Patty Porter, all of whom were mem- 
bers of the First church. There has 
been but few changes in the minis- 
try. The church had but two settled 
pastors in the early days of its ex- 



istence. The first of these was Rev. 
Ira Smith, and the second Rev. Asa 
Donaldson, but they served for only 
brief seasons, the church depending 
mostly on supplies. The first stated 
supply was Rev. Seth Burt, who 
labored successfully while the church 
manifested a steady increase for the 
space of three years. In 1829 Rev. 
John B. Hoyt became the stated 
supply, dividing his labors between 
this church and the First Congrega- 
tional church of Greene. He was 
installed pastor of this church June 
19,1833, and sustained that relation 
for thirty years. In 1860, owing to 
feeble health, Isaiah B. Hopwood, 
then a licentiate of Auburn Theo- 
logical Seminary, was invited to 
labor with Rev. Hoyt a stated sup- 
ply during his summer vacation of 
that year. In the early part of 1861, 
Mr. Hopwood having finished his 
theological studies was invited to 
become the pastor of the church to 
which he assented, but his accept- 
ance was afterwards modified by 
making the condition that of his be- 
ing associated with Mr. Hoyt in the 
pastorate. This being agreeable he 
was ordained and installed July 15, 
1861. 

March 20, 1861, the church re- 
solved to raise $250 for the support 
of Mr. Hoyt as long as he remained 
with them. His long and happy pas- 
torate closed by death July 4, 1862, 
at the age of 68 years. Mr. Hop- 
wood closed his pastorial labors in 
January, 1863, and was succeeded 
by Rev. W. A. Smith of Maine, who 
commenced his labors August 1, 
1863, and continued them until Jan- 
uary 9, 1865. 

Rev. A. J. Buell sustained the 
pastorial relations from February 27, 
1865, to January 6, 1869. A call 
was extended to Rev. Amos Crocker. 



U2 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



who entered upon a pastorate which 
continued until January 29, 1878. 
He was followed in January 1879 by 
Rev. Dr. William B. Stewart. Rev. 
George M. Jones succeeded him for 
nine years. Rev. J. B. Mariam came 
next for five years. Then came Rev. 
Mr. Macbeth for four years who was 
succeeded by Rev. Mr. Williams for 
three years. Rev. Mr. Cody came 
next for a year or two. May 1908, 
Rev. S. R. Warrender, the present 
occupant came. 

In 1831 and '32 the church was 
visited by a most fruitful revival, 
110 persons were received into the 
church on profession of their faith. 
Several marked seasons of revival 
occurred during the pastorate of Mr. 
Hoyt. In 1834 and '35, 1840, 1843, 
1846, 1851, and lastly the winter of 
1855, '56, as the fruit of which 340 
were received on profession of faith. 
Following is a summary of its mem- 
bership up to November 1, 1861, 
when its membership was 205: 
Original members 14 

Received on profession 383 
Received by letter 123 



Total 


520 


Dismissed 


195 


Deceased 


75 


Suspended 


34 


Withdrawn 


8 


Excommunicated 


3 


Total 


315 


Number of members 


205 



The membership in June 1879 was 
184. The average attendance at 
Sabbath school about 80. 

The Coventry Baptist Church 

The first meetings by the members 
of this denomination was held in 
1814, and the first organization was 
perfected the same year. It compos- 



ed mainly the members of twelve 
families who were formerly mem- 
bers of the First Congregational 
church of Coventry, but believed in 
immersion. As the early records of 
the church were lost in the fire, 
which destroyed their house of wor- 
ship in 1843, the number of original 
members cannot now be ascertained, 
but prominent among them the fol- 
lowing are recalled: Oliver Parker, 
William Spencer, Percy Gilmore, 
Phineas Nichols, Levi Parker, Oman 
Gilmore, David Hodge and Record 
Wilbur. 

The society connected with this 
church was organized September 27, 
1819, at a meeting held in the school 
house near Weat Spear's, which was 
attended by Levi Parker, Oliver 
Parker, William Spencer, Percy Gil- 
more, William Stork and many 
other inhabitants of the town. 
Percy Gilmore was chosen moderator 
and Phineas Nichols, clerk. The 
Baptist society in the town of Cov- 
entry was adopted as the name and 
Levi Parker, Oman Gilmore and 
Percy Gilmore were elected trustees. 
The first church edifice was built in 
1819, and was destroyed by fire on 
the morning of January 1, 1843. 
The present one was soon after 
built. 

The first ministers were two 
brothers named Holcomb, who were 
succeeded in the order named: Revs. 
Gray, Sawyer, Kellogg, Tucker, Rob- 
inson, Birdsall, Parker, Litchfield, 
Bush, Church, Porter, M. M. Everett, 
N. R. Everett, Merrils, Turnbull. 
Beebe, E. T. Jacobs; 1880, Rev. Dan- 
iel Reese; 1884, L. J. Douglass, sup- 
plied; 1886, Rev. T. A. Matterson; 
1890, Rev. George Bowler, ordained 
in October, 1893; Rev. C. F. Benja- 
min; 1896, Rev. J. H. Watrous; 
1898, G. A. Starkweather; 1899, 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



45 



Rev. Darby, supplied. For the last 
fifty years the church has suffered 
largely from a loss in the member- 
ship by the removal of many of its 
prominent members from its borders 
and who have gone to help swell the 
membership of churches in the far 
west and elsewhere. The member- 
ship was 34 in 1880, the attendance 
at Sabbath school 45. 

The church has ordained and call- 
ed to the ministry: Aaron Parker, 
Daniel Root, F. M. Beebe and N. R. 
Everett. The latter became pastor 
of a prominent Baptist church at 
Sing Sing N. Y. The church was 
sold and taken down in 1911. 



Methodi.st Episcopal Church 

The first organization of the Meth- 
odist society in Coventry dates back 
to April 20, 1819, in which year a 
meeting was held in the school house 
in district No. 6, at which meeting 
Michael Elder and B. Young, preach- 
ers, both of the regular ministers of 
said society, were chosen to preside, 
and the First Methodist Episcopal 
society in Coventry called Union was 
formed. Philo demons, Ransom 
Adkins, Samuel I. Thomas, Whiting 
Cornish, Apollos Foote and William 
M. Thomas were elected trustees. 

The West Coventry society of the 
Methodist Episcopal church, formed 
in 1829, seems to have been a re- 
organization of the above society. It 
was organized at the same place, and 
if we substitute the name of Apollos 
Tuttle for that of Ransom Adkins, 
the official board was the same. A 
house of worship was erected in 
1830, three miles south west of Cov- 
entry and occupied a good many 
years. It has been taken down and 



I think it was moved to Belden. 

The center of Methodism in Cov- 
entry is now in Coventry village. The 
Coventry Methodist Episcopal church 
of Coventry village was organized as 
a separate station in 1849 and their 
house of worship was built in 1853. 
The following named pastors have 
officiated here since 1849: E. D. 
Thurston, L. D. Brigham, who died 

shortly after coming here; • 

Nickerson, Hiram Gee, who was here 
in 1853 during the building of the 
church which he labored to consu- 
mate; W. M. Spickerman, Wesley 
Peck, 1854; M. S. Wells, 1855-6; 
E. H. Orwin, 1857; S. G. Greene. 
1858; T. M. Williams, 1859-60; E. 
Puffer. 1861-3; L. Bowdish, 1864-5; 
H. R. Northrop, 1866-7; D. Bullock, 
1868-70; David Davis, 1871-2; 
George E. Hathaway, 1873; A. T. 
Roskelley. 1874-5; L. A. Wiles, 1876- 
7; William Burnside, 1878-9; A. E. 
Loomis, 1880; S. Stephens, 1881-2; 
J. T. Wells, 1883-4; S. H. Wood, 
1885-7; A. E. Thurston, 1888-92; 
L. D. Palmer, 1893-4; D. L. Meeker, 
1895-6; J. G. Henry, 1897; W. H. 
Horton, 1898-1900; D. Sweatland, 
1891-4; Austin Mooney, supply for 
September and October; then D. F. 
Unangst, supply for five months; 
Charles C. Volz, 1905; J. B. Wilson, 
1906-7. A. W. Cooper supplied 
three Sundays in June; G. Cook sup- 
plied July and August; George P. 
Markham finished the year. A Sum- 
merson, the present pastor, com- 
menced his labors in the spring of 
1909. 

The membership reported in the 
pring of 1879 was 82, the attendance 
at Sunday school was ten teachers 
and 75 scholars. The estimated 
value of church property is, church 
$2,000, parsonage $1,000. ,/ "f,,J:'' 



Uh 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



CHAPTER Vn 
Coventryville and Sundries 

Coventryville is situated about 
two miles east of Coventry and is 
the end of the stage route from 
Greene. It contains one church, 
Congregational, a district school, one 
hotel kept by Luman Miles, built by 
his great grandfather, Burrige Miles, 
in 1811; one store kept by William 
Laraan; and a population of about 
25. 

Merchants 

The first merchants at Coventry- 
ville is supposed to have been Otis 
Loveland, who traded some three or 
four years from about 1801. He 
was succeeded by Russell Waters, 
who traded until 1816, when he 
moved to the farm now occupied by 
Frank Pearsall. About 1818, Levi 
Parker built a store on the site of the 
residence of George Minor, which is 
believed to have been first occupied 
by Thomas W. Watkins, wiiose fath- 
er-in-law, Burrige Miles, leased the 
land on which it stood, the condition 
of the lease being that it should be 
occupied as a store and nothing else 
"as long as grass grows and water 
runs." A part of Minor's residence 
is still fitted up for a store to com- 
ply with the requirements of the 
lease although it is not used for 
such. Watkins traded but a few 
years. John Reed and Charles G. 
Osborn, traded in the same place 
under the name of Reed & Osborn 
until about 1855. George Minor 
kept a small store on the same 
ground about two years, when Ben- 
jamin Slater from Norwich rented 
and kept it two years. In the mean- 
time he built the store now occupied 
by William Laman, which he occu- 
pied until 1856, when he sold to 
Calvin Franklin and Peleg Pendle- 



ton, who traded about three or four 
years and moved to Greene. Harris 
Briggs and Rufus Cornwell bought 
out Franklin & Pendleton, and trad- 
ed some two years, when Cornwell 
bought out Briggs' interest. In the 
spring of 1867 Cornwell sold to W. 
H. Ireland, who carried on the busi- 
ness for a number of years, having 
been associated about one and one- 
half years with his cousin, Oliver 
Ireland, and afterwards with his 
brother-in-law, Thomas Greene. 
Then Charles Turner one and a half 
years; E. M. Nolton two years; 
George R. Johnson one year, and 
William Laman, the present store 
keeper 22 years. The last four mer- 
chants held the postoflfice at the same 
time. 

Postmasters 

The first postoffice at Coventry- 
ville is believed to have been estab- 
lished in 1807 and kept by Jotham 
Parker, about half a mile south of 
the village, where he also kept a 
small store. Just when the office 
was moved to the village and who 
kept it there, whether Thomas W. 
Watkins or Russell Waters, who are 
believed to have followed in suc- 
cession is uncertain. Waters, it is 
supposed, held it until 1816, when 
he was succeeded by Dr. Edward 
Cornell, who held it until his death, 
July 19, 1849. He was succeeded 
by Leonard R. Foot, who held it 
about four years. Foot was followed 
by C. G. Waters who held it until 
about 1857, when Peleg Pendleton 
was appointed. Pendleton was suc- 
ceeded about 1861 by Rufus 
Cornell, who held it until the spring 
of 1867, when William H. Ireland 
was appointed. 

I*hysicians 

The first physician of whom we 
have any authentic information was 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



45 



Ashel Wilmont who moved to Cov- 
entry in the spring of 1835. Ed- 
ward Cornell, whose father was one 
of the first settlers in Guilford, was 
practicing here in 1827, and continu- 
ed until his death, July 19, 1849, at 
the age of 56 years. Tracy S. Cone 
came to Coventryville about 1850, 
practiced about twelve years and 
moved to South Oxford. Charles G. 
Roberts located there a few years 
after Cone left and practiced until 
the death of his father, Dr. George 
W. Roberts in Greene, Feb. 10, 1870, 
when he moved there and took his 
place. Dwight E. Cone, a nephew of 
Tracy S. Cone, went there about 
1875 and practiced some two years, 
and is now located at Fall River, 
Mass. Dr. Bartlett practiced there 
a fevv^ years in the early seventies. 

Churches 

The First Congregational church 
of Coventry at Coventryville was or- 
ganized November 19, 1807, by 
David narrower of Sidney, with the 
following members: Noah Richards, 
Stephen Do^dge, Benjamin Benedict, 
Abijah Benedict, Benjamin Hotch- 
kiss, Sarah, wife of John Stoddard; 
Anna, wife of Eliakim Benedict; 
Abigail, wife of Abijah Benedict; 
Lois, wife of Stephen Dodge; Beulah, 
Wife of John Hoskin; Isabelle, wife 
of Noah Richards; Roxalina, wife of 
'Daniel Brown; Hannah, wife of Ozias 
Yale, and Penelope, wife of Henry 
Chandler. For several years prev- 
ious to the organization of the church 
public worship was maintained in 
private houses, although there was 
not a man in the settlement who was 
a professor of religion. The wives 
of these New England pioneers, im- 
pelled by the early training received 
in their eastern homes and a desire 
to perpetuate the sacred office in 



their new abodes, incited meetings 
on the Sabbath. The services con- 
sisted at first of reading, singing 
and praying, and were conducted by 
a man who was deemed most cap- 
able, although he "was not pious." 
The number who attended was not 
large at first but they attended reg- 
ularly, although they lived at re- 
mote distances from each other. 
They struggled in poverty and in 
the midst of the trials and incidents 
to a new country their dependance 
for a year or two for a leader being 
on one man of poor health and one 
very aged man, holding their meet- 
ings after a time in the school house. 
But their number gradually increas- 
ed with new accessions to the settle- 
ments, which brought an addition to 
their leaders in the person of an aged 
man who came five miles on horse- 
back and assisted them when he 
could. The reading of printed ser- 
mons was soon added to the services. 
Their meetings continued several 
years when an old preacher, named 
Camp, joined them and preached 
part of a year. He was followed by 
a gentleman from England, styling 
himself a Presbyterian or Congre- 
gationalist, who preached here a 
year or two and left in 1807. A 
sufficient number, either professors 
or those interested in devotional 
exercises, had settled in the locality 
to warrant the formation of a so- 
ciety, and articles of faith and cov- 
enant were adopted by each of the 
fourteen previously named, except 
Stephen Dodge and Beulah Hoskin, 
who dissented from the articles re- 
specting the dedication of children 
in baptism. Numerous additions 
were made to the membership by 
baptism and otherwise during the 
early years of its organization. 
Twenty-four joined the following 



46 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



year and in 1823 the membership 
had increased to 116. September 1, 
1808 Christopher S. M. Stork and 
Noah Richards were chosen deacons. 
The society connected with this 
church was organized at the school 
house in the eastern part of the 
town at a meeting over which Ben- 
' jamin Jones and Ozias Yale presided, 
Feb. 7, 1804. Jothan Parker, James 
Wylie, Jr.. and Christopher S. M. 
Stork were elected trustees. The 
name adopted was the First Con- 
gregational Society in Greene, of 
which this town then formed a part. 
September 14, 1819, the name was 
changed to First Congregational So- 
ciety of the Tow^n of Coventry. At 
this time Rev. Horatio T. McGeorge 
was the pastor. He was dismissed 
March 16, 1807. February 24, 1808, 
a call was extended to Rev. Joseph 
Wood to preach the gospel in this 
place. It is presumed that the call 
was accepted for on September 6, 
1808, it was recorded that he be- 
came a member of the church. In 
the fall of 1811, Charles W. Thorp 
of Butternuts, a candidate for the 
ministry, engaged to preach for a 
short time in this place, and on Janu- 
ary 13, 1812, the church voted to 
call him to the pastorate. He was 
ordained July 8, 1812. Revs. David 
narrower, Joel T. Benedict, Joel and 
Henry Chafin, being the officiating 
clergymen. Mr. Thorp's pastorate 
was closed June 10, 1823. He was 
followed after an interval of two 
years, which was filled by occasional 
supplies, by Rev. Anbrose Eggleston, 
who commenced his labor in May, 
1825. June 11, 1827, Mr. Eggles- 
ton received a call to the pastorate, 
and was ordained June 21 of that 
year. He continued his labors as 
pastor three years. During his pas- 
toratorate several members of the 



church withdrew to form and unite 
with the Second Congregational 
Church of Coventry. In 1830, Rev. 
N. Gould labored with them part of 
a year, and Rev. Oliver Hill part of 
the year 1831 as stated supply. 
Rev. Daniel Butts commenced his 
labors in 1833 and closed them the 
third Sunday in June, 1835. In 
183 6 Rev. Elisha Whitney was sent 
by the Home Missionary society, to 
whom application was made for aid 
February ,8, 1836. He remained 
one year. Rev. T. A. Ewen com- 
menced his labors May 15, 1836, and 
closed them in May, 1841. He was 
succeeded in the fall of 1841, by 
Rev. Chrispus White, who was in- 
stalled pastor May 11, 1842, and 
dismissed April 1, 1851. Rev. G. M. 
Smith entered upon a one or two 
years' pastorate Sept. 1, 1851. He 
was succeeded after an interval of 
about two years by Rev. William H. 
Lockard who served four and one- 
half years. After an interval of 
one year Rev. Isaac D. Cornell be- 
came the pastor and remained seven 
years, until 1865. An interval of 
about one year elapsed when Rev. 
S. S. Goodman began his labors and 
continued them one and one-half 
years. After an interval of six 
months Rev. George D. Horton began 
an eight years' pastorate. He was 
succeeded by Rev. Henry C. Cronin, 
who commenced his labors in De- 
cember, 1878. In May, 1881, Rev. 
Warren came, for two years. Rev. 
Austin Caldwell, three years. 1890, 
Rev. John F. Geddes, one and one- 
half years; 1893 to '96, Rev. Joel F. 
Whitney; 189 6 to '98, Rev. R. C. 
Lansing; 1898 to 1905, Rev. A. Mc- 
Intyre; 1905 to '07, Rev. A. C. 
Dodge; 1909 to 1911, Rev. G. P. 
Linderman. 

April 7, 1808, the church voted to 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



hit 



build a meeting house 36 by 54 
feet, and the following year the pres- 
ent church edifice was erected. 
'Philo and Ozias Yale scored the first 
stick of timber used in its construc- 
tion, and the former drew it to the 
spot where the church now stands 
after it was hewed by Abijah Bene- 
dict. After the church was enclosed 
services were held in it for two or 
three years without any fire, to make 
the worshippers comfortable benches 
without any backs supplied them for 
seats. In this rude structure con- 
trasting so strangely with the com- 
fortable, even luxurious, appoint- 
ments of our present houses of wor- 
ship men, women and children as- 
sembled in cold winter weather and 
listened to two sermons each Sun- 
day with naught save clothing of 
their own manufacture to keep them- 
selves warm. Oh, for more of that 
spirit today, there would not be so 
many half filled churches. After a 
time square box pews, then in vogue, 
were substituted for the rough 
benches. The church was remodled 
and repaired and a new bell and 
steeple added in 1840, at a cost of 
$1,492, and some twelve years later 
the interior was repaired and re- 
modeled at an expense of $500. 
Only occasional trifling repairs have 
been made. The church has had a 
good parsonage for many years. The 
pecuniary embarassment of the 
church were very great and many 
sacrifices were made in those early 
days to sustain the gospel. During 
Mr. Thorp's pastorate the societj 
was confronted with the necessity of 
raising an indebtedness which stood 
against it or suffer a loss. Mr. 
Thorp made strenuous effort to raise 
the money and after all was raised 
that it was thought could be, there 
was a deficiency of $65.00. In this 



dark hour he went with his trouble 
to Deacon Stoddard, grandfather of 
John Stoddard, now deceased, who 
lived in Coventryville. The Deacon 
was in the field plowing with a yoke 
of oxen. He sat upon the plow 
beam and after a few minutes re- 
fiection he arose, unhitched the oxen, 
drove them away and sold them, pay- 
ing the debt with the proceeds. Such 
were the difficulties which confronted 
the little colony in their efforts to 
establish in the inhospitable wilds 
of their new homes that religious 
culture which had hallowed the as- 
sociations of their native land, and 
such the heroism and devotion with 
which they were met and overcome. 
The residents of this town still 
retain more thoroughly than in 
most parts of this territory the 
sterling character of their Puritan 
ancestors. Among the prominent 
men in early days, noted for piety 
and energy, were: C. S. M. Stork, 
.John Stoddard, 1st; John Stoddard, 
2nd; A. Ives, P. Yale, O. Yale, Philo 
Minor, B. Benedict, T. Blake, Ishmal 
Rogers, Russell Waters, and later 
Eden, Elickim, and Ira Benedict, 
Moses Miles, Marshal Miles, and 
still later Jared Bassett, B. Buckley 
and B. Taggart. 

Previous to 1815 the church was 
connected with the Northern As- 
sociated Presbytery. In Februrary 
of that year it united with the Union 
Association. June 19, 1827, it was 
received under the care of the Che- 
nango Presbytery. April 17, 1842, 
it resolved to ask for a dismission 
from the association and stand neu- 
tral for a while until prepared to 
choose where to unite. June 10, 
1845, it was again received under 
the care of the Chenango Presby- 
tery. At present it stands related 
with the Presbytery of Binghamton. 



45 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



The number of members in June. 
1879, was 150, the average attend- 
ance at Sabbath school, 60. 
Manufacturei's 

The first thing the farmers had to 
sell was lumber and the first of that 
was pine shingles. Pine was very 
plenty and they made shingles thirty 
inches long and sold them for $1.00 
a thousand. They sold good pine 
lumber for $4.00 a thousand. About 
a mile north west of Coventryville, 
is a steam sawmill owned by Ray 
Seeley, and built by his father, Wil- 
liam, many years ago; and one and 
one-half miles north is another 
owned by George Hodge and built by 
Edwin Ogden. 

About three and one-half miles 
south east of Coventryville is a 
grist and sawmill which was built 
some sixty years ago by John 
Landers and owned for a good many 
years by his sons, Frederick and 
John. I think it is not running now. 
As has been said there was a grist- 
mill, a carding and cloth dressing 
mill, all combined, a little south of 
Coventryville about two miles west 
of Coventry owned and run by Mr. 
Brainard, who afterwards run the 
gristmill at Center Village. 

The saw mills run by water were 
many, every little stream had from 
one to four. I think it would be 
safe to say there were fifteen or more 
in the town. Fifty years ago there 
were four cooper shops running at 
full blast, two and three men work- 
ing in each shop. The Laman Bros, 
told me that they have had six men 
working in their shop at one time. 

The first tannery and the only one 
in town was built by John Foot 
about 1805 and was run until about 
1890, most of the time it did an ex- 
tensive business. David Hayes run 
it for a great many years until his 



death which occurred in 1864, after 
that it was run by John Dibble until 
about twenty years ago. We feel as 
though this history would be in- 
complete without the review of one 
hundred years. Although I have 
written a little of it, it contains 
many incidents and thrilling scenes 
which I must record, but before the 
review comes, I think we had better 
have a poem, written by Mrs. Bene- 
dict, the poetess of Coventryville 
church. 

Building for God 

Eightieth anniversary of the or- 
ganization of the First church, Cov- 
entryville. 

When for their country men can die. 
Perchance a garland wreathes 
their name; 
And in the nation's archives high. 
The centures finds their deeds of 
fame. 
But men may live and toil, and do 
Their duty with persistent will; 
And building for the good and true. 
Their simple lives with grandeur 
fill. 

Such men were here! we may not 
know 
The self-denying love that thrilled 
Their hearts, and made them warmer 
glow. 
While patiently the soil they tilled. 
"Now let rise and build for God!" 
With one united voice they cry; 
Then ready feet the forest trod. 
And marked the tall pines stretch- 
ing high. 

Axes with true and steady stroke 
Brought down the monarchs of 
the soil; 
The sure strong oxen bore the yoke 

Of service in the daily toil. 
The sills were laid, the rafters rose. 
And, slow and sure, the work went 
on, 
O'ercoming all that might oppose. 
Until the "meeting-house" was 
done. 

Fronting the south it proudly stood; 

Was entered by a double door; 
Plain and unpainted was the wood, 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



1,9 



No fires within, and bare the floor. 
By narrow stairs the preacher 
climbed, 
To reach the pulpit placed so 
high, 
And if his sermons were well timed, 
He upward drew each heart and 
eye. 

But as improvement makes its way, 
Where earnest working souls are 
found, 
It happened that once on a day, 
The ancient-looking^ house turned 
round. 
And when the rosy sunshine 
streamed 
One morning over hill and dell, 
Upon a pillared front it gleamed. 
And music floated from the bell. 

The seats were changed. The pulpit 
then 
Was taken from its lofty perch 
For desk and sofa; that was when 
The meeting house became a 
church. 
Will we not gladly gather here. 
And in the same strong, helpful 
name 
Of Him who led our father's on, 
Press forward in the way they 
came? 

With reverent step these aisles they 
trod; 
Their voices bent in prayer and 
song; 
They simply came to worship God, 
And counted not the hours too 
long. 
T'was here the grave old deacons 
sat 
Serenely, this side, in their pews; 
And, while at church, we're certain 
that 
They ne'er discussed the weekly 
news. 

Where are the builders? Toiling 
hands 
And eyes that looked with joy and 
pride 
Upon this house, that firmly stands 
Are closed and folded side by side. 
The summer grasses o'er them creep. 
The winter snows upon them fall; 
Over their graves none pause to 
weep, — 
Yet "by their works" remember 
all. 



How changed! Today could they 
but view 
The place where once, with placid 
mien. 
They always sat two sermons 
through, 
With lunch and Sunday school 
between, — 
What would they think of weary 
souls 
Who scarce can wait till one is 
through? 
Though blest with warmth of glow- 
ing coals, 
With shutters, carpets, cushioned 
pew. 

I look, but memory fondly throws 
O'er all these seats its blissful 
rays ; 
I only see the forms of those 

Who gathered here in other days. 
The hymns come floating from above, 
The grand old fugue, the anthem 
bold. 
But the lips that sung the Savior's 
love. 
To earthly songs are hushed and 
cold. 

We in the earthly temple, — they 
In one to mortals yet unseen. 
Where floods of heavenly radiance 
play, 
Yet but a shadow lies between. 
Perchance some helpful message, 
borne 
Downward on trembling lines of 
light. 
Cheers weary hearts or hearts that 
mourn. 
Making some saddened moment 
bright. 

Some day we hope to upward rise. 
And join the heavenly, happy 
band. 
In worship pure beyond the skies. 
In temples built by God's own 
hand. 
But this with years and honor 
crowned. 
We consecrate, O Lord, to Thee! 
Here help and strength our 
fathers found; 
Here may our labors ever be. 

Coventry is an ancient English 
covenant town in Warwickshire, on 
the Sherburne river, an affluent of 



50 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



the Avon; about eighteen miles 
east, south east Birmingham pleas- 
antly and advantageousl.v located in 
the very center of old England. It 
is a quaint old city mellow with 
years, dating back to the early part 
of the eleventh century, rich in 
everything of which England may 
be proud, yet of its antiquity, or 
legends, or history or architecture, 
its feudal forms of church and state, 
is not our province here to speak. 
We give it honorable mention, a 
cordial greeting, because it is the 
venerable grandmother of our own 
Coventry in Chenango county, New 
York. Like its grandame, our Cov- 
entry is situated aliuost in the very 
center of this great Empire State; 
whilst not possessing hoary or re- 
nowned antiquity, yet it can proudly 
boast of as favorable location, as 
fine climate, as rich soil, as in- 
dustrious, contented and intelligent 
people as can be found in any 
country. Coventry, Tolland county, 
Connecticut, in the north east part 
of the State, was so named by peo- 
ple settling there from this same old 
Coventry in England; yet of the 
circumstances and the time of its 
settlement there is no record. It is 
at present a quiet, prosperous New 
England town, with all modern fa- 
cilities, two Congregational churches, 
one Methodist, one Episcopal and a 
Catholic. Some men, both great in 
church and State, had their birth in 
this place. Nathan Hale, the vet- 
eran spy of the Revolution, was a 
native of this town; Harlam Page of 
Tract Society fame, belonged to this 
place. From here a goodly number 
of men entered the ministry, among 
them Rev. Badger connected with 
the American Missionary Associa- 
tion. With dates and personelle not 
at all uncertain, we can therefore 



trace the origin, right and title to 
the name we bear. 

Coventry of the Empire State, 
then is the legitimate daughter of a 
worthy mother. All three, daughter, 
mother and grandmother, redoubt- 
able factors in the world's life and 
history, living and vigorous, yet in- 
dependent and almost unknown to 
each other. With few exceptions 
these early settlers came from Con- 
necticut. This immigration from 
the homeland occupied a period of 
thirty years, 1785 to 1815. New 
England life has left its impress up- 
on the steady habits and intelligent 
character of the people to this day. 
These men and women too, for we 
cannot ignore the fact that it takes 
the man and the woman to make 
complete humanity; the man to con- 
quer nature, and the woman to 
beautify and adorn the house. These 
persons were not God's in the old 
fabulous scene, nor were they giants 
in the scripture sense. They were 
strong, hardy, vigorous pioneers, 
able to battle with the difficulties of 
a frontier life and to solve the prob- 
lem of building homes and planting 
a Christian civilization on the very 
outskirts of the forest world. Worthy 
successors of the early sires of the 
Mayflower. The forest was dense, 
the trees of great size, wild game 
plentiful, panther, bear, wolf, deer 
and small game in abundance. It 
needed the sinewy body, the brawny 
arms, the active brain, the level 
head of the old Puritan stock to 
swing the ax, fell the trees, clear 
the fields, build the log cabins and 
plant the first crop, to sow the first 
seed in the virgin soil. This stamp 
of brawn and muscle only could 
succeed in the wilds of such a wilder- 
ness to claim the country for God 
and civilization and to make it the 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



51 



habitable abode of cultured men and 
women. This honor belongs to the 
hardy sons of New England. No 
other type of men would have been 
equal to the undertaking. We of 
today are apt to discount the old- 
time Puritan. We imagine him 
gloomy, morose, unsocial, aggress- 
ive, tyranical, domineering, over- 
bearing. Some of this may be true, 
much of it is a great mistake. He 
was genial, healthy, robust, natural; 
a tremendous will power; a man for 
emergencies; a meddler with things 
difficult and greatly inclined to un- 
dertake the impossible. His theol- 
ogy made him the man he was. It 
is theology that made him the man; 
that makes the nation; that makes 
the people. The old New England 
Puritans would ring from God, nol- 
ens volens; the agreement, the 
pledge that he was, without doubt or 
forfeiture, one of the elect children 
destined for all eternity; a chosen 
man of the Almighty. With this 
consciousness he was a power un- 
conquerable, invincible. Nothing 
impossible with God on his side. 
No other consideration can account 
for or explain the reason why New 
England has so stamped itself on 
the national life. Such were the 
forefathers of this country; well and 
nobly did they do their part in the 
modeling of the grand old Empire 
State. 

The first settlement in Coventry 
was in 1785, and just three years 
after this the first school house was 
built, indicating that the settlers 
located here with great rapidity and 
educational faculties were therefore 
a need. This school house was built 
of the same material as the house at 
that time, a log structure. It served 
a threefold purpose of school house, 
meeting house and town hall. The 



building stood about one-fourth of a 
mile south of this village, on the 
other side of the brook, about seven 
rods to the west after crossing the 
bridge on the road to Afton, on 
lands now owned by Frank Pearsall. 
Sixteen years ago in this house 
where we are now assembled, in the 
presence of an appreciative aud- 
ience the one hundredth anniversary 
of the relic of the past was celebrat- 
ed. Hon. Edgar A. Pearsall and Mrs. 
William Henry Benedict did honors 
to the occasion; the one by his 
eulogy, the other by a poem rehears- 
ed in eloquent and appropriate 
language the history of the old log 
school house. A memorial stone 
should mark the site to keep it in 
perpetual remembrance. Wherever 
the New Englander went his theol- 
ogy went. The religious usages of 
childhood, youth and early man- 
hood could not be effaced. Church 
members or not, he was accustomed 
to regular attendance at the house 
of God every Lord's day, and this 
habit followed him into his frontier 
forest home. Before building the 
school house the people met on the 
Sabbath day from house to house, to 
read the scriptures, sing and pray, 
though none of them were profess- 
ing Christians. The wives of these 
New England pioneers, influenced by 
their early home training, were the 
chief promoters of the Sabbath 
gatherings. The Christian world 
will never know how much it is in- 
debted to the Godly women of the 
early settlements. Although a few 
in numbers and the people living far 
apart, these services were regularly 
maintained and the number increas- 
ed by new comers. The building of 
the house of worship was a serious 
undertaking the country yet scarcely 
settled, and but little wealth, yet 



52 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



enterprise and perseverance over- 
came all obstacles. The building was 
reared and enclosed but resources 
failed and there it must rest awhile. 
Several years elapsed before its com- 
pletion. The form of the building 
was square and it faced the south. 
Rough plain benches served for 
seats, the only heating apparatus, 
the foot stoves brought by the wo- 
men from their homes. The pulpit, 
a small box like structure, midway 
between the floor and the ceiling, 
reached by a narrow stairway. Us- 
ually there was a sounding board 
above the pulpit, over the minister's 
head to force the voice downward to 
the audience. In summer time wor- 
ship, setting on rough benches might 
be agreeable but in the severity of 
the winter it would be a difl[icult 
affair. Imagine a congregation in 
the coldest of the weather sitting on 
those hard seats, wrapped in their 
warmest homespun clothing. The 
minister in a heavy overcoat button- 
ed up to his chin on his head a heavy 
woolen or silk skull cap, holding a 
service for two long hours or more 
in which he dives deep into the 
mystic lore of speculative philosophy, 
of intricates, phyological research ol- 
the unfathomable depths of God's 
infinite being. His eternal decrees, 
and his wonderful plan of salvation 
for the redemption of a lost and 
ruined world. 

The people listening in respectful 
attitude give close attention to the 
spoken word and you have a picture 
of a devout worshipful assembly of 
the olden times worthy of our deep- 
est and profound regards. Such were 
the fathers and mothers of Coventry 
one hundred years ago, earnest and 
sincere worshippers of God. Up to 
the present date affairs stood thus: 
1785, the first settlement; 1788, 



the first school house; 1804, the 
first society organized; 1807, the 
first church assumed righteous life; 
1809, the first meeting house erect- 
ed. The first general election of the 
town was held the 29th and 30th 
days of April and the first day of 
May, and Gen. Benjamin Jones was 
elected Member of Assembly. 

An amusing incident is told of 
Gen. Jones' journey to Albany to 
take his seat. Travelers then had 
to find their own conveyance and 
Mr. Jones fell in with a teamster, 
who was going to Catskill, and bar- 
gained for a ride. The journey was 
long and Mrs. Jones therefore pre- 
pared for her husband a well-filled 
box of provisions. The first night 
out he had some doubts as to the 
propriety of a member of the As- 
sembly carrying a lunch box under 
his arm, agreed with the teamster 
to take charge of it when they ar- 
rived at the hotel and at a suitable 
time, invite Mr. Jones to eat with 
him. Under the circumstances the 
teamster condescended to do so and 
all went well. At the proper 
time the teamster opened the box 
and proceeded quietly to eat his sup- 
per without any courteous invitation 
to his legislative associate. Mr. 
Jones, after waiting some time, sug- 
gested to the teamster that as the 
victuals looked tempting he felt 
much inclined to partake with him. 
The teamster looked up and in an 
unmannerly way replied: "You can 
if you want to, of course, the vic- 
tuals are good!" 

A story is told of Burrige Miles, 
which should not be left out of this 
sketch. The log hut which became 
his dwelling when he first came into 
the country, was the log house al- 
ready built by Royal Wilkins, but no 
door as yet had been hung and a 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



53 



heavy blanket was kept to supply the 
place. A blazing fire on the hearth 
was expected to burn all night to 
frighten away the wild animals. With 
loaded gun at his pillow, Miles slept 
the first night in his unfinished hut. 
In the late hours of the night, a 
panther stuck his head through the 
blanket and gave a fierce howl. The 
sleeper sprang from his bed and 
seizing his gun, found the fire had 
gone out. He could perceive only 
the fiery eyeballs of the wild ani- 
mal and his unerring gun dealt 
death to the intruding brute. 

Mrs. Eunice Stork and three 
sons, Christopher L. M., William 
and Luther came into the country 
in 1792. The husband and father 
was a sea captain and out on a 
voyage at the time of the immigra- 
tion from the homeland. On ar- 
riving at port he followed his fam- 
ily. But a frontier life was too 
tame for him and he returned to the 
charge of his vessel which proved 
his last voyage. The ship foundered 
at sea and went down with all on 
board. Christopher L. M. Stork's 
name stands prominent in the or- 
ganization of the parish and also of 
the church in 1807. He was elect- 
ed to the office of deacon in 1808. 
He was tall, strong and of a vigorous 
physique. He owned a large farm 
and also carried on the business of 
tanner and shoemaker. When cross- 
ing the Hudson river, his valise fell 
into the water and on reaching the 
shore he ran down the stream in 
advance of the current, waded into 
the river and seized the valise as it 
came floating down. A fortunate 
thing for him as it contained all his 
available worldly wealth and about 
$450. The wallet which held the 
money is in the possession of his 
grandson, Russell Stork. 



A story is told of Deacon Stork, 
which illustrates his vigorous indi- 
viduality. One day a panther came 
for prey in his cattle yard and the 
Deacon and his man, Elliot, pursued 
the animal to a tree in the adjoin- 
ing orchard. As the two men ap- 
proached, the animal sprang furious- 
ly toward them only to meet the un- 
erring bullet v/hich laid him dead 
with his claws fastened in Elliot's 
boots. The Deacon stooped and 
grasped the brute by the feet and by 
the strength of his sinewy arms 
lifted him as high as he could reach 
and the animal measured just the 
distance between stalwart Deacon's 
hands and the earth. 

The Storks came from Cheshire 
in their manhood prime. Christo- 
pher L. M., with his wife and three 
children, his wife making the jour- 
ney of four hundred miles on 
horseback with babe in her arms. 
The household goods accompanied 
by the other members of the fami- 
ly were carried on a sled drawn by 
a yoke of oxen. The other two 
lived outside of the immediate com- 
munity. One granddaughter of Chris- 
topher L. M. Stork is now living In 
Coventry; Mrs. Albert Seymour, to 
whom we are indebted for consider- 
able information. 

The following extract from the 
history of Harpursville gives a brief 
incident of the early settlement of 
the Jones'. The original owner of 
the J. Warren Harpur farm was 
Simeon Jones who came from Cov- 
entry, Connecticut, and settled in 
1795. Later the property came into 
the possession of the Harpur family 
and is known as the Bryant farm. 
Mr. Jones as a pastime, would oc- 
casionally indulge in a fascinating- 
recreation, at least to Mr. Jones, of 
filling a basket with rattlesnakes, 



5i 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



killed on the hills back of the house, 
l.>laoing them upon his back, and 
lake them home to try out the oil. 
At that time rattlesnake oil was 
very valuable. 

In the spring of 1788, Gen. Benja- 
min Jones, a cousin of Simeon, set- 
tled on the Youmans farm on the 
east side of the river. Gen. Jones 
was a commanding officer in the U. 
S. Army and saw service in the Rev- 
olutionary war. The Jones fami- 
lies are numerous in the Susquehan- 
na valley. The removal from the 
valley to the hills of Coventry of 
Gen. Jones came about in this way: 
Soon after moving to the Youmans 
farm his horses got away. They were 
followed by a pathway with only 
blazed trees as a guide to Harpurs- 
ville, on to Belden and up into Cov- 
entry, where they were found. The 
impression was so favorable that 
he sold out and settled in Coventry. 

An incident is related of the fam- 
ily of Simeon Parker. One Sun- 
day while the family were at church, 
two brothers, who were left at home 
to keep house went to the spring, 
and there found some cubs which 
they supposed were little dogs. 
They had a fine time with the ani- 
mals, the mother bear all the time, 
unnoticed by the boys, sat a short 
distance away, apparently unconcern- 
ed, watching the performance. The 
parents upon returning home, were 
terrified at the peril of their chil- 
dren and rejoiced in their providen- 
tial escape. 

As already stated of the Stod- 
dards, there was a family of ten 
children. Curtis, the eldest, was a 
strong, muscular well built man 
and it is said on good authority that 
he cut ten acres of wood every year 
until his farm was cleared. In speak- 
ing to Mr. J. J. Stoddard, I asked 



him if this was not an incredible 
feat? He answered, yes and no, 
and said some of those men could 
swing an ax with increditable dexter- 
ity and an acre of forest timber 
would fall before it with seemingly 
no very great effort. 

This incident is related by Cur- 
tis. One day when in the woods, 
chopping about noon, as the tree 
that he was cutting down began to 
topple and fall he heard the voice 
of his little boy calling him to din- 
ner. Looking up, to his consterna- 
tion he saw the child standing di- 
rectly in the way of the falling 
tree. As it fell it bore the body to 
the earth, the trunk of the tree 
lying across the body of the child. 
As rapidly as strength and skill 
could work a tree was cut a short 
distance above where the boy lay, 
and with the strength of a giant he 
lifted the stump section from the 
prostrate body and flung it aside. 
He then lifted his unconscious child 
in his arms and carried him to the 
house. As the news of the accident 
spread, men came rapidly to make 
inquiries and render assistance. 
Some visited the scene of the ac- 
cident and declared that it would 
have taken the strength of five men 
to lift the trunk of that tree which 
Curtis did under the excitement of 
the occasion. Wonderful to relate 
the child regained consciousness and 
fully recovered. 

Benedict 

Benjamin Benedict moved to 
Coventry in 18 20. He was dea- 
con of the First Congregational 
church ni Winchester. Conn. In 
the church book is the record: 
"March 9, 1821, Deacon Benja- 
min Benedict, and Sylvia, his 
wile, recommended from the church 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



55 



at Winchester, Conn., were re- 
ceived as members of this church." 
The church voted likewise that Dea- 
con Benedict officiate as deacon in 
this church. 

Deacon Ithuel Blake and his wife. 
Wealthy, hailed from Winchester, 
Conn., in 1818. Wealthy was a 
daughter of Deacon Benjamin Bene- 
dict, and Ithuel was a man of great 
simplicity of character and led an 
exemplary life. 

Ithuel Rogers united with the 
church in 1812, recommended from 
the church at Greenville, Mass., from 
v/hich place he had moved at an 
early date. 

Benjamin Taggart and Mehitable, 
his wife, though perhaps the latest 
comers and the farthest away, yet 
their punctuality and faithfulness to 
all church service became proverbial, 
and the influence bore fruit towards 
a respectful observance of Christian 
responsibility and the service of God. 

Last but not least comes Hon. 
Charles Pearsall, who for many 
years a member of the church, by his 
vigorous individuality, skillful finan- 
cial management and wise council, 
bore the church bravely onward to 
the approach of its centennial year. 
Although he did not live to see it, 
passing away in 1897, yet by his 
untiring zeal did as much for the 
permanent prosperity of the church 
and to make the anniversary of 1904 
pleasureable and a possibility. He 
is one of the links uniting the pres- 
ent with the past. 

Early Incidents 

The history of the early years is 
replete with remarkable incidents 
not yet recorded but worthy of a 
prominent place in the record of 
church and society. We gather a 
few of them and the following is a 



characteristic of frontier life. The 
two Miles brothers, Simeon and 
Moses, had been chopping all day in 
the woods and on their way home 
were met by a bear. As they had 
no guns Moses suggested that they 
drive him towards the house and 
capture him. Simeon, who was urg- 
ing the beast onward approached 
too near and the animal turned and 
seized him in his forepaws. As the 
bear opened his mouth Simeon 
thrust his hand down his throat and 
seized the roots of its tongue and 
held his grip until Moses run for a 
gun and dogs, when the animal was 
speedily dispatched. 

Another incident was related of 
Amasa Ives, who was a strong lead- 
ing character in the settlement. One 
morning he heard an unusual dis- 
turbance in the sheep yard. Hasten- 
ing out he saw a wolf in the midst 
of his flock. He rushed upon the 
animal, caught him by his hind feet 
and swinging him round and rouna, 
took as soon as possible his pocket 
knife from his pocket, opened it 
with his teeth and cut the ham- 
strings, threw the wolf down and 
run for his gun. 

A story is told of Epaphras 
Waters and of his proverbial regu- 
larity at church service. Every Sab- 
bath, rain or shine, snow or sleet, 
he went to church. One Sunday 
morning in winter he drove his horse 
and sleigh to the door, left the 
horse standing and went into the 
house to put on his overcoat and 
while doing so the church bell be- 
gan to ring. The horse recognizing 
the familiar sound started at a brisk 
pace for the meeting house and 
when Mr. Waters came to the door, 
behold his steed was gone. He fol- 
lowed hard after and on reaching 
the church found the horse standing 



56 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



quietly in his own stable in the 
church sheds. He turned him 
around and went home for his fam- 
ily. This is a fair sample of Chris- 
tian punctuality of those days. 

Many of the men were not only 
finely developed physically but of 
great strength. To conquer the 
wilds of nature this was a dire 
necessity, and here is an illustration. 
Deacon Philo Minor and John Stod- 
dard, Sr., were together at the cider 
mill and three barrels of cider were 
loaded into Deacon Stoddard's cart. 
As the oxen were headed into the 
road and up the hill the cart body 
not being fastened down tilted and 
the barrels rolled some distance 
down the hill. The deacon followed 
with his oxen and cart and lifting 
each barrel of cider placed them in 
his cart with as much ease as if it 
had been a basket of potatoes. 

There were also in those days 
political honesty as well as Chris- 
tian integrity. There were three vot- 
ing places in the town, and Deacon 
Ithuel Blake, who had charge of the 
ballot box, would carry it to each 
place with the uncounted votes and 
no one thought of impeaching his 
uprightness. Ye scribe thinks it 
would be better if we had more such 
honesty in politics today. Those 
were days of privation and toil, 
hardihood and endurance necessar- 
ily attended a frontier life, but they 
were all bravely borne. Frequent- 
ly by message from home and en- 
couraged by new comers, their is- 
olated conditions were only tempor- 
ary. As time moved on the land was 
cleared, the country became more 
settled, families and homes the order 
of the day. The customs and wages 
of the people were duplicate of those 
in the old Connecticut homeland; 



gathering in each others houses in 
the winter evening where bounti- 
ful refreshments were served and 
the social side of life enjoyed. 

Church History 

To be a professing Christian in 
those days was a matter of some 
consideration; no person entertained 
the thought, unless truly converted 
to God and intending to adorn his 
profession by a consistent life. Yet, 
for all this expulsion, contrition, 
confession, reinstatement, if not of 
great frequency, yet the church was 
by no means a stranger to the exer- 
cise of discipline in the maintain- 
ance of her purity and integrity. 
Nor yet without an occasional 
church trial; when some recalcitrant 
member is arranged and either ten- 
derly admonished, severely repri- 
manded or as a last resort cut off 
from the fellowship of the church. 
The oversight, though brotherly, 
affectionate and forbearing, was 
minute and the censorship of times 
tempered with vigor. In temperance. 
Sabbath breaking, profane language, 
neglect of church meetings, associa- 
tion with excommunicated persons, 
were the chief misdemeanors for 
which church discipline were admin- 
istered. As an instance, a certain 
brother, who to the dishonor of the 
church of Christ and in violation of 
his covenant obligation, had been 
for a long time habitual if not total 
neglectful of the worship of God in 
his family; that is the continuous 
neglect of family prayer, was com- 
plained of for said neglect. The 
church considered it a case of law- 
ful discipline and the brother was 
admonished. He pleaded as excuse 
his want of confidence and lack of 
ability to perform the duty. The 



HISTORY OP THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



57 



church refused to consider this ex- 
cuse sufficient and after repeated 
admonitions and lengthened for- 
bearance he was publicly excluded. 
Another instance indicating that 
while it might not be a sin to drink, 
(total abstinance being as yet 
scarcely a possibility) yet to get 
drunk was a very unchurchly thing 
and called for discipline, and the ex- 
pulsion, the confessions, the decla- 
mation, are rather plentiful along 
this line. A certain brother was 
labored with for indulging too freely 
in the use of strong drink. He 
made humble confession yet he 
afterwards asserted that he was not 
so drunk but what he could attend 
to business. This people whose 
church centenary was commemorat- 
ed that day, believed God, believed 
in the Gospel of our Lord and Sav- 
ior Jesus Christ; believed in her 
ordinances as a means of salvation; 
believed in a consistent Christian 
walk in life, and a hope of blissful 
immortality. May many centennials 
fall to her lot. However, incomplete 
and defective this sketch may be, it 
would be still more so if it did not 
record honorable mention of the 
eightieth anniversary of our church, 
1807-1887, twenty years ago, cele- 
brated under the ministry of Rev. 
Augustine Caldwell while pastor of 
the church. The address of the oc- 
casion is the admirable product of 
his pen; rich in historic statement 
and anecdote. A few in common to 
both — his pages and ours — but 
many stories related by him which 
could not be related here. It was 
also accompanied by a very felici- 
tious poem, written for the occasion 
by the poetess of our church, Mrs. 
Henry Benedict. The address and 
poem are in print, published to- 
gether and we hope will be preserv- 



ed in the archives of the church as 
valuable contributions to its history. 

Revivals 

The church has been neither bar- 
ren nor backward in aggressive work 
for the convertion of souls and 
spreading the gospel. Many out- 
pourings of the spirit and gracious 
revivals seasons have fallen to her 
lot in the years of the century we 
commemorate. In the month of 
January, 1808, when the church was 
a year old, while Rev. narrower of 
Sidney, of revered memory, was giv- 
ing to the little congregation tem- 
porary and voluntary service a re- 
vival blessing came with an addition 
of about twenty persons to the mem- 
bership, besides the baptism of many 
children. During the ministry of 
Rev. Thorp there were three re- 
vivals. In the first three were seven 
persons, in the second twenty, in the 
third forty, in all seventy-six souls 
added to the church in his ministry 
of eleven years. In the ministry of 
Rev. Eggleston, the church suffered 
a temporary decrease, as twenty- 
seven members took letters of dis- 
missal to unite with the Second Con- 
gregational church of Coventry. In 
the ministration of Rev. Fitch just 
one year's partorate, 1832, another 
gracious outpouring of the spirit 
came and seventy-eight were added. 
While Rev. Butts was serving the 
church twenty were brought into the 
fold, the fruit of a revival. The 
pastorate of Rev. Wright was em- 
inently successful, during the nine 
years large additions were made. 
During the ministry of Rev. Horton 
forty were added. The pastorate of 
Rev. Cronin was wonderfully blest, 
eighty persons came into the church, 
some whole families came together. 

In taking extracts from the cen- 



58 



HISTORY OF TKE TOWN OF OOVEXTRY 



tennial celebration we would not 
think it complete without the two 
poems, one written by Mrs. William 
Henry Benedict, about seventy- 
eight years of age at the time of the 
centennial and who is still living at 
this date. 1912, in her 87th year. 
The poem was recited by her grand- 
daughter. Miss Ann Matterson. The 
other by Rev. Elijah W. Stoddard. 
The centennial poem by Mrs. Bene- 
dict follows: 
I surely now am dreaming! for I 

stand 
Within the dark old forest: and no 

hand 
Is near to aid me if I linger here. 
And for a moment my heart thrills 

with fear; 
For here wild beasts have freely 

roamed at will 
For centuries perchance over vale 

and hill; 
And the dark Indian with wily tread 
Through the dim labyrinths has 

swiftly sped 
Till inroads made by hardy pioneers 
With primal ownership now inter- 
feres. 

But see! the pines tower upward 
toward the sky. 

Ever low music giving, like a sigh, 

The weary heart might breathe 
when sorely riven. 

And seek solace for its grief from 
heaven. 

But joyful songs from many feather- 
ed throats 

In richest harmony around one 
floats. 

Hark! Axes ring. The heavy strokes 
Bring down the giant pines and 

staunch old oaks 
See through the opening, upon 

yonder hill 
The smoke is rising floating up at 

will; 
Another settler, come from far away 
lias built, I see, his sniig log house 

to stay. 

Welcome to all new comers with 

one heart 
They in each others welfare bear a 

part. 
From isolated homes when falls the 

night 



Huge fireplace logs send forth a 
cheerful light. 

Helping to keep the prowling beasts 
afar 

From lowly doors where timid dwell- 
ers are. 

.\nd more and more are coming 
every year 
Till soon the wilderness will dis- 
appear. 

I hear the brook, by which the 
school house stands. 

Built many years ago by willing 
hands; 

Surely none must unlearned and ig- 
norant grow 

In the new western home they 
sought and so 

To say was but to do, they did not 
wait 

But built of logs in seventeen eighty- 
eight. 

''hen anxious scholars gathered at 
the door 

And on slab seats studied their les- 
sons o'er. 

Ah! Here it is, did I not hear a 
song 

I've heard before? but since, time 
seems long. 

There! now again, I hear the voices 
bltr.d 

In Zion's songs and prayer and 
praise ascend. 

I enter as one says: Today we've 

met 
To talk of that on which our hearts 

are set, 
The memory of prayer and Sabbath 

bells 
Have touched a cord that with 

emotion swells. 
Down P^ast, in homes where our 

lov'd kindred dw-ell, 
They keep thanksgiving. Oh, we 

know how well. 
And we remember too, the reverent 

way 
In which we passed the quiet Sab- 
bath day. 

We can no longer live and pass it 

by; 
To keep it as we used to, all will try; 
For one must pray, and a sermon 

bring, 
.\nd the old hymn, why. surely all 

can sing. 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



59 



Those not professing Christians at 

the time 
K record made of faith, strong and 

sublime 
And bonnd them in the wilderness 

they trod, 
Close to the worship of their fathers' 

God. 
Later was formed, so records note 

It down 
The first religious parish in the 

town. 
The dream of long ago is surely o'er 
I waken,- — it is nineteen-hundred 

four. 
And I am told our grandfather knew 
That all I dreamed of them was real 

and true. 

The winding brook still ripples on 

its way, 
Singing as when its course through 

forest lay. 
Grasses on its banks and wild 

flowers blend 
And to its waters graceful willows 

bend. 
Green fields and cultivated acres lie. 
Through the vale and crown the hill- 
tops high. 
Where once marked trees guided the 

traveler's course. 
Good roads and telephones now in 

force 
And in the toil of others we are 

blest. 

The house by them its beams were 

laid. 
Its timbers raised by them in place 

where since they've stayed 
Enclosed and finished with rude 

seats,— no fire, 
Vv'hat but true worship could their 

hearts inspire? 
With just our comforts, Ah I what 

could they say. 
To enter here, where calls the bell 

today. 

Their work is done; by highest pur- 
pose wrought 

In every labor of their hands were 
taught 

The principles that ruled them in 
their lives 

And in descendants still we trust 
survives. 

To one recorded deed their names 
were set. 

To which to celebrate today we've 
met. 



We lift the vetl over a century cast 
And bring to mind our heroes of 
the past. 

In the afternoon services Rev. 
Elijah W. Stoddard, gave a truly in- 
tering talk entitled. Reminiscences 
of Early Settlers. He referred to 
nearly all of the families represent- 
ed in the church in his boyhood 
days, taking the families in order 
along the various streets. He closed 
with a poem, in which were woven 
the names and some personal illu- 
sion to the twenty-three ministers 
v.ho have been pastors of the church 
during its history. The poem by 
Rev. Elijah W. Stoddard follows: 

Our fathers' God whose loving care 
appears 

On all the records of a hundred 
year?, 

As WG review a century today 

We would acknowledge Thee in all 
the way. 

The one great shepherd of the chos- 
en flock 

Who gathered at the fountain of the 
rock. 

Or pastures on the ever living green 

That lies around the fold across the 
stream. 

The under shepherds numbered 
twenty-three. 

Each shaping part of this full cen- 
tury. 

First on the list we find the name of 
Camp, 

Then Rev. Wood held up the guiding 
lamp; 

Rev. Charles Thorp in answer to 
much prayer. 

Was granted for eleven years of 
care 

The harvest which resound an in- 
crease yeilds 

In many garden spots and many 
fields. 

Then Ambrose Eggleston, and Gould, 
and Hill, 

Proceed Octaivus Fitch, revered still 

By families to whom his ministry 

Was the great blessing of the cen- 
tury. 

The Rev. Daniel Butts, has left a 
name 



60 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



That faithfulness and diligence may And Philo Minor, with Ithuel Blake, 



claim. 
The shepherd's crook passed to 

worthy hands, 
Ilex. McEwen fed the shepherd's 

lambs. 
Elijah Whitney then the standard 

bore 
And Chrispus Wright nine full years branch Morgan too, and N. G. Hunt, 



And his Alanson E., of kindred 

make. 
With Thomas Yale, and honored 

Pearsall, tell 
Of faithful care that guarded Zion 

well. 



and more. 
Then G. M. Smith for two years well 
could toil 



endeared 

By all that makes life esteemed, 
revered; 



And W. A. Lockwood seeded the rich Then William .Albert Stoddard, 

• J. whose desire had 

His four ;ears and a half were Been to meet with gathered son and 
blessed indeed. 



sire 
In the centennial service of this day, 
But in his wisdom God has called 

away; 
But with the great assembly, he is 

given 
To greet the church of sainted ones 

in heaven. 

His loving, faithful, gentle, ministry 



As reapers gathered this well scat- 
tered seed. 
Seven fruitful years to Carroll was 

assigned; 
To Goodman eighteen months and 

then we find. 
For G. P. Horton, eight eventful 

years ^ 

Whose fruitage in this pleasant day Has done"' its part in the last cen- 

appears. tury. 

To Rev. Weeks two happy years ^nd may his mantle fall on e' 

were given; ders strong 

Then Rev. Cronin by the grace of to serve the church for which he 

heaven wrought so long. 

Bound many sheaves which Warner until we cross the river one by one, 

helped to store and 

And Caldwell came to glean and Hear the welcome of our father's 

garner more. home. 

Then Gaddes passed; and Whitney, ^nd share the service and the min- 

staunch and true, istry 

Then Lansing; then the pastor xi^^t has the ages of eternity. 

whose review 

Of all the years has made the circle The honored fathers of the olden 

one time; 

We trust his work of love has just The noble mothers with their zeal 

begun, sublime; 

That it has years of precious min- The little band that meet to praise 

istries and pray, 

For the great garner of the cen- To honor God upon the Sabbath day; 

turies. And all the membership of all the 

With these, — the pastors and their years, 

ministry As in the century name by name 

The office bearers of the century, appears, 

Have honored place and endearing In some department holding each a 

name place 

On her church record and her roll To give the help to some sweet 

of fame. Christian grace. 

C. T. M. Storks, and Gideon Rich- The Sunday school in missionary 

ards, with bonds, 

John Stoddard, senior, in their ser- In all that serves in home or foreign 

vice live; lands, 

Benjamin Benedict, a Godly man. In each endeavor of a passing hour, 

John Stodddard, junior, wise in To do its best to add new zest and 

work and plan, power, 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



61 



To make each year more useful than 

the last, 
Uplifting ever by a worthy past. 

The sowers and the reapers are as 

one, — 
Those gathered here and those 

gathered home. 
The sons and daughters of the other 

shore 
Are watching for our father's open 

door. 
As we bind sheaves that ripen on the 

plain 
Because they scatter wide the golden 

grain 
Inspiring us to leave a legacy 
For all the years of the next century. 

Benediction 
The dove of heaven descend and 

rest 
Upon our sacred shrine. 
Light, life, and faith, — the heavenly 

zest 
Through all the century manifest 
Within its walls combine. 
Thus with our house, and hope of 

peace. 
A Sabbath comfort prove 
Nor Father, Son, nor spirit cease 
From every burden to release, 
And fill each cup with love. 



CHAPTER VIII 

Sundries and Secret Societies 

The Masonic Lodge was formed in 
the early fifties. It increased to 
about sixty members and continued 
for many years. It is now disband- 
ed. The Sons of Temperance at one 
time had a large society which 
flourished for a long time. Cov- 
entryville had a society of Good 
Templars for 3 2 years with about 40 
members. It had also a society of 
Red Men with 97 members, was or- 
ganized in 189 5. It afterwards 
moved to Coventry and is now dis- 
banded. There is at present a so- 
ciety of the National Protective 
Legion. The Grangers have a so- 
ciety here which has flourished 
rapidly in two years. 



Agricultural Items, 

Chenango county ha^-^een thfe 
banner county of ..feffe old Empire 
State for many y^^ars, according to 
the number of a^cres, in producing 
butter and cheese. Four counties 
have produced more, but they were 
all larger counties. In 1855 this 
county produced 3,990,564 pounds 
of butter, 1,212,544 pounds of 
cheese. Coventry came within one 
of being the banner town of the 
county according to the number of 
cows. Greene came first with 125 
pounds to the cow; Coventry second 
with 117 pounds to the cow. Cov- 
entry produced that year 250,270 
pounds of butter, 6,510 pounds of 
cheese, 15,795 bushels of potatoes, 
31,330 bushels of apples, 936 bush- 
els of winter grain, 56,952 bushels 
of spring grain, 1,343 yards of do- 
mestic cloth. It had 534 horses, 
1,771 working oxen and calves, 
cows, 2,272 sheep, 1,121 
It harvested 5,606 tons of 



2,140 

swine. 

hay. 



Sundries in 1855 

Value of real estate, $464,715; 
personal property $43,450, total 
$498,165. Population, male and 
female being equal, 842 each. Num- 
ber of dwellings, 333; number of 
families, 357; freeholders, 214; 
school districts, 12; number of chil- 
dren taught, 740, average to a dis- 
trict, 53 1-3. 

Coventry Sol<liei-.s that Are Dead. 
Soldiers of the Revolution. 

Joseph Fairchild, Sr., who served 
three years. Joseph Foot, father of 
ApoUos and Alanson, served seven 
years in the prime of his life and 
died at the ripe old age of 100 
years, three months and twenty-one 
days. Joseph Pike was an old Rev- 
olutionary soldier. Robert Hawkins 



62 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



too old to bear arms in the Revolu- 
tion, but served his country as a 
guard in the forts of the patriots. 
Heth Kelsey, Oliver Packard, Re- 
cord Wilber, David Hodge, Samuel 
Porter, Benjamin Jones, Captain 
Jothan Parker, Burrige Miles, Cap- 
tain Job Yale, Benjamin Benedict. 

War ot 1H12 

Tracy Allen, Roger Edgerton, Gil- 
bert D. Phillips, Ira S. Beardsley, 
Gurdon Johnson, Matthew B. Smith, 
Josiah Beardsley. 

Civil War 

Samuel S. Smith, died April 16, 
1867, aged 48 years. Martin V. 
Shaw, died Dec. 2 7, 18 82, aged 45 
years; was a member of Co. F. First 
N. Y. Vet. Calvary. Rev. Samuel A. 
Stoddard died Nov. 24, 1886, aged 
51 years; was a member of Co. K. 
24, N. Y. Calvary. Calvin Wells, 
David Snell, Bronson Beardsley, 
John W. WMlder, Oscar E. Foot, Oris 
Tubbs, John Spicer, Charles Finch, 
Hezekiah Knickerbocker, John Shaf- 
fer, Stuart Wylie. 

Doubtless there are many others 
buried in the cemeteries unknown 
to the writer. I mention those that 
I have found. During the Civil war, 
from 1861 to 1865, this town furn- 
ished 125 or more men to go as 
soldiers. Many never came back, 
some that did were injured for life. 
The first man to enlist was Nelson 
Spencer. His brother Franklin fol- 
lowing him under the first call, for 
three months volunteers. Frank 
was wounded at the first battle of 
Bull Run, came home, got well and 
enlisted again. Later in the war his 
brother Henry went also. No one 
can realize the privations and suffer- 
ings of a soldier in time of war but 
ihose that have been there and pass- 
ed through and lived to return 



home, that know its costs are the 
most thankful for peace and we 
should all unite with them in 
thanksgiving for its blessing. The 
war cost this town many thousands 
of dollars in bounty and other ex- 
penses, which the town was wise to 
pay all up in a few years by taxes 
while farm produce was high. 

Courts 

In the early days of this town, 
from 1800 to 1340, there were for 
some reason or another many who 
thought their supposed wrongs could 
not be settled only by law, and as 
the tongue was an unruly evil it 
set many of them going. The Jus- 
tices of the Peace had considerable 
business to do; for often one would 
sue another for some small offence. 
The justice would plead with them 
to settle, but many times they would 
not, being determined to bring the 
case to the court. It would have to 
be a jury trial or else a justice case 
where three justices would set as 
judges to hear the evidence and 
render a decision. If the three 
agreed all the better, if not then two 
must agree in order to render a 
verdict. One of the most successful 
ones whose decisions were sustain- 
ed by higher courts when appealed 
to was Zenas Hutchinson. He was 
Justice of the Peace for 24 years 
and the best read lawyer in the 
town. Many cases were brought be- 
fore him and tried. In most cases 
his decisions were final, but very 
few appealing from it. He also had 
a large amount of writing to do, in 
drawing deeds, mortgages, con- 
tracts, notes and other business 
papers. 

In drawing contracts for leasing 
farms, or any other transaction, they 
wished to express in it, he would 
tell them to put in the contract 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



63 



every identical thing they had talked 
over and each agree to it in order 
that no loophole be left for trouble 
to jump through. Many people in 
those times did not have ready 
money to pay for things they wanted 
so thinking a better pay day would 
come they gave their notes; many 
of these were left with him to col- 
lect, in which he was successful. 
But as times have grown better and 
people have more money less of such 
things has to be done by Justices 
of the Peace. A few of the Justices 
of the Peace of this town were: 
Calvin Blakeslee, Daniel Hayes, Ro- 
meo Warren, Bela Seymour, James 
S. Parker, Nelson Hunt and Charles 
Pearsall. These all having finished 
their work here passed into the be- 
yond from whence no traveler re- 
turns. The present ones are A. B. 
Minor, D. N. Hunt, J. Kelley, War- 
ren Smith and F. M. Manning. 

.Schools 

Coventry has always been noted 
for its good teachers and district 
schools, and in the early days some 
very large ones. About 1815 it is 
thought that Zenas Hutchinson 
taught at Coventryville. He had his 
mind and hands full as all teachers 
did in those days, there being a 
scarcity of books and but few alike 
many of the scholars had to recite 
alone, which made extra work for the 
teachers. Then they had to take 
paper similar to our foolscap, make 
it into writings books, rule it, make 
their own pens out of goose quills 
and keep them in repair. Thus 
keeping the teachers at work most 
of the time. Many times when need- 
ed they heard their individual 
scholars recite before and after 
school hours, besides having to do 
many things that teachers of today 
know nothing about. How teachers 



managed so well in such small 
school houses with so many scholars 
is a mystery, for during that term 
he had 101 scholars, and many of 
them were grown up young men 
and young women. As time went on 
children began to decrease. In 18 28 
Susan Hungerford taught in that 
district one term when many of the 
older scholars were at home, but 73 
came to school. Teachers' wages in 
those days were magnificent, they 
received their board as they went 
from place to place around the dis- 
trict, and for five and one-half days 
teaching per week, one dollar and 
twenty-five cents, the highest price 
paid then for female teachers. She 
and her sister Maria both taught 
several years. Mr. Hutchinson also 
taught eighteen years. Some of the 
teachers that came later: Gideon 
Minor, Harvey Beardsley, Lucius 
Manwarren, James S. Parker, Ezra 
Foot, Charles and Ira Fairchild, 
Albert Griswold, Napoleon Elliott, 
John P. Thorp, William, John and 
Ira D. Manning, and many others 
both in the east and west part of 
the town that the writer does not 
call to memory. 

Xew York and Erie Railroad 

This company was organized in 
July, 1833. The act authorizing the 
road was passed April 24, 1832. The 
first preliminary survey was made in 
1832 by Dewitt Clinton, Jr., by or- 
der of the government. In 183 4 the 
governor appointed Benjamin 

Wright to survey the route, who as- 
sisted by James Seymour and Chas. 
Elliott, begun the survey May 23, 
and finished the same year. In 1835 
the company was organized and 
forty miles were put under contract. 
In 183 6 the comptroller of New 
York State was directed to issue 
$3,000,000 State stock to aid in 



6j^ 



HISTORY OF THK TOWN OF COVENTRY 



constructing the road. In 183 6 the 
State released its lein on the road 
and authorized the original stock- 
holders to surrender two shares of 
old stock and receive one share of 
the new. April 8,1845, a branch 
was allowed to be built from Ches- 
ter to Newburgh, nineteen miles. 
The road was opened as follows: 
From Pierpoint to Goshen, Septem- 
ber 22, 1841; to Middletown, June 
7, 1843; to Port Jervis, June 6, 
1848; to Binghamton; December 28, 
1848; to Owego June 1, 1849; to 
Elmira October, 1849; to Corning, 
January 1, 1850; and to Dunkirk, 
May 14, 1851. Distance from New 
York to Deposit one hundred and 
sixty-two miles. The mention of 
this railroad is given here because 
it has connection with a plank road 
that was built from Deposit through 
the different towns to Coventry. De- 
posit being the nearest railroad sta- 
tion then to Coventry and the other 
towns along the road. A plank road 
was built from Deposit to Vallonia 
Springs, half way to Coventry, and 
as that was the most feasible way to 
get to the railroad from Coventry, 
on such a grade, was no doubt the 
reason it was built. A company was 
organized consisting of the leading 
business men and farmers along the 
line from Vallonia Springs to Cov- 
entry. It was called a stock com- 
pany, each one taking as much stock 
as they desired. It was built mostly 
in the year 1851 and finished in the 
spring of 1852, the last plank being 
laid in the village of Coventry and 
was built in sections by contractors. 
It has been told to the writer that in 
order to have it go where it does by 
the homes of Loren and Leonard 
Porter, instead of over the route 
where the company wished it to be 
built, they and their families would 



build one-half mile of the road with- 
out any cost to the company. This 
they did although it was not known 
whether the company furnished the 
plank or not. There was a four horse 
stage that run each way and met the 
Deposit stage at Vallonia Springs, 
carrying mail and passengers. In 
1852 they took off the four-horse 
stage, and run two horses for three 
years, th2n a one horse stage for 
four years. It was used as a toll 
road for seven or more years. Owing 
to the cost of repairs amounting to 
more than the tolls, it was sold to 
the towns for $3 00, who removed 
the plank and made a turnpike road 
of it. Before the railroad was built 
to Deposit all of the merchants' 
goods had to be drawn from Catskill 
by teams or shipped up the Hudson 
river to Albany, thence on the York 
and Erie canal to Utica, thence 
down the Chenango valley canal to 
Greene, then hauled to Coventry by 
teams. All the butter, cheese, pork, 
beef, wool and all other farm pro- 
duce had to be shipped away with 
the same conveyance, which would 
now be called slow freight. 

Town Fair 

The first town fair ever held in 
Chenango county was held in the 
village of Coventry in the autumn 
of 1855. The most energetic atid 
successful people of the town believ- 
ed it would be nice and pleasant to 
bring together the produce of the 
farm and show each other, free of 
cost, the things they were able to 
produce here in Coventry. Accord- 
ingly on a certain day they came 
together and the writer well remem- 
bers it. It was a beautiful Autumn 
day in October, bringing with them 
corn husked and on the stalk, grain 
threshed and in the bundle, vegeta- 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



65 



bles of many kinds, horses, oxen, 
hogs, sheep, poultry, etc. The ladies 
also bringing with them their work. 
It was an open fair held on the 
church green west and south of the 
Baptist church. The stock was 
shown in a lot on the south side of 
the road. The people were so well 
pleased with their pleasant and 
profitable gathering that they de- 
cided to hold another fair the next 
year, 1856, at Coventryville, which 
they did with a like enjoyable oc- 
casion, being more encouraged than 
ever to let people see what they 
could raise. It was said that Charles 
Fairchild took the first premium on 
his steers, they being the best broke. 
The next year, 1857, an agricultural 
society was organized. Wm. Kales 
was president. Merit S. Parker was 
secretary and Lucius Manwarring 
marshal. The writer fails to recall 
the names of the other officers. In 
the autumn of 1857, the society 
leased a number of acres of land of 
Luman Miles, just south of the 
school house in the south west of 
the village. Around this they built 
a board fence. Mr. Dort came from 
Harpursville with his pile driver and 
drove the chestnut posts. On these 
were spiked 2 by 4 pieces running 
lengthwise and then boards eight 
feet high were nailed thereto. It 
made a durable fence which with- 
stood the weather for over 20 years. 
The ground was prepared, a fioral 
hall was built, pens were made for 
stock, a driving track was made and 
eating stands were put up where the 
hungry public could be fed. The 
fair that year was a very large one 
for the times, farmers and others 
taking a lively interest therein. 
People came from far and near to 
enjoy a good time and they had it. 
That year the ladies had a driving 



contest with one and two horses. 
Mrs. Thomas Tifft took the first on 
driving two horses; Mrs. Fred Bun- 
nell first, and Eunice Parker second, 
on single horse. Fred Bunnell also 
drove "Morgan Tiger" and exhibited, 
him as an extra broke horse. The 
fair was held after this for several 
years, and was called the best town 
fair in the county, with varying 
scenes of interest and enjoyment up 
to 1864, when it closed. One year 
the Sons of Malta appeared, about 
4 men on horseback, masked and 
dressed in odd costumes. They rode 
around the track followed by An- 
drew Rockwell masked and dressed 
like an Indian with colored feathers 
on his head. • He rode on a donkey 
and gave exhibitions, showing how 
the Indians jump on and off their 
ponies and shoot game with their 
bows and arrows. The company 
also publicly initiated one of their 
members on a platform. From that 
descending into a tub of water was 
an inclined plank. Blindfolded they 
pushed the candidate down the in- 
cline and he went splashing into the 
water, which furnished lots of fun 
for the spectators. Another year 
there was a drawing contest to see 
whose oxen could draw the most. 
Three yoke, one owned by Ben Foot, 
one by Scoville Parker, and another 
by Bela Seymour, were hitched to a 
stone boat loaded with stone. Mr. 
Seymour's oxen were light, Mr. Par- 
ker's weighed over 3,000 pounds, 
and Mr. Foot's 2,800. Foot's oxen 
took the first prize. The writer re- 
members seeing the contest. An- 
other year they had a walking match 
and a yellow horse owned by Charles 
Hinman took the first prize. It is 
believed that Frank Griswold's horse 
took second. During some of the 
years there were contests of the best 



v^ 



66 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



broke steers. Charles Fairchild had 
some there in 1857 which were well 
broken, but did not receive the first 
prize because George Juliand, had 
two pair there that were broken and 
driven by Hiram Fowler. They were 
large, well matched, handsome and 
well broke and they of course took 
first prize. Farmers in those days 
were raising many Devonshire cat- 
tle, red beauties they were, and 
many of them were seen at the fairs, 
from calves to cows and oxen. There 
were some common grade and some 
short horned Durham cattle exhibit- 
ed also. There were many exhibits 
of sheep and lambs, long wooled 
ones took the lead. In August, 1860, 
John S. Tarbell, proprietor of the 
Franklin house, Montrose, Pa., sent 
a horse to Andrew Rockwell and 
Douglas to break it of the habit of 
switching and kicking when hitched 
to a wagon. In sixteen days from 
the time they took him they ex- 
hibited him before the Susquehanna 
County Agricultural society hitched 
to a sulky, also at the Pennsylvania 
State fair and New York State fair, 
as well as at several county fairs 
during the fall of 1860. Only a few 
of the many incidents of these fairs 
have been given, but we will call 
them ended and say a few words 
about Messrs. Rockwell and Hurl- 
burt, it being a most fitting place. 
Soon after they gave their horse 
exhibits here and at the fairs in 
1860, they bought two more horses, 
one named "Star," the other a milk 
white hore named "Mazeppa," and 
broke them the same as they did 
the first one. With these and a few 
men they started on the road travel- 
ing from place to place giving a 
school at each place. They taught 
the young men how to break colts to 
drive and horses of their bad habits. 



They gave to each one their book, 
"A Practical Treatise on Horse 
Breaking" and taught them private- 
ly how to do it for which they re- 
ceived from each student $5. Hobbs 
Brothers of Nineveh made them a 
wagon for which they received a 
large price, in which they made their 
trips. In 1868, they left their home 
for the last time and started on their 
western journey giving schools from 
here to California. Wishing to go 
farther they took passage on an 
ocean steamer for either Oregon or 
Washington. During the voyage the 
ship was struck by another ship and 
sunk with all on board. The Pacific 
was their tomb in which they were 
quietly layed to rest; there to peace- 
fully sleep till the resurrection 
morn, 

Wai- of the llebcllion 

At a special town meeting, held 
September 5, 1862, 131 votes were 
cast for and 30 against a proposi- 
tion to raise by tax $1,5 00 to pay to 
each of thirty volunteers the sum of 
$50 as a bounty for enlisting, the 
men so enlisted to apply on the 
quota of the town under the call 
for 600,000 men. March 4, 1863 
the board of town auditors issued 
three bonds for this amount and the; 
expense connected therewith, the 
first to Apollos Foot for $550, at six 
per cent., payable January 1, 1864; 
the second to R. Chandler, for $546. 
24 at six per cent. ,$246. 24 payable 
January 1, 1864, $300 payable Jan. 
1, 1865, and the third to T. D. Por- 
ter, for $450, at six per cent., pay- 
able Jan. 1, 18 65. At a special 
meeting Jan. 2, 1864, 49 votes were 
cast for and 4 against a resolution 
to pay $3 23 to each person enlisted 
and applied on the quota of the town 
(21 men) under the call for 300.- 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



67 



000 men. E. A. Phillips, James S. 
Parker and Daniel Beecher were 
appointed a committee to draft the 
necessary papers and report the 
most feasible way of obtaining the 
money. On the recommendation of 
the committee the officers consisting 
of the board of town auditors Vi^ere 
instructed to issue and sell the 
bonds, in the sums of .$5 to $500. 
James M. Phillips and S. P. Allis 
were appointed a committee to act 
with the board. To carry out pro- 
visions of this resolution bonds bear- 
ing seven per cent interest were is- 
sued as follows: 
17 four years' bonds $100 

each $1,700 00 

17 three years' bonds $100 

each 1,700 00 

16 two years' bonds $100 

each 1,600 00 

2 years' bonds $50 10000 

15 one year bonds $100 1,500 00 
4 one year bonds $50 200 00 



$6,800 00 
71 revenue stamps at 10c 

each 7 10 



$6,807 10 
At a special meeting held April 
11, 1864, it was decided by a vote 
of 3 2 to 4 to authorize the board to 
pay such sums as they deemed nec- 
essary, not to exceed $5 00 each to 
the requisite number of volunteers 
to fill the quota of the town under 
the call for 200,000 men; and on 
that day the board issued bonds 
numbered from 7 2 to 78 both in- 
clusive amounting to $2,200, and 
April 25, 1864, a like number from 
79 to 85 in like amount bearing sev- 
en per cent interest and payable 
January 1, 1865. At a special meet- 
ing held August 2, 1864, 127 votes 
were cast for and 38 against a reso- 



lution authorizing the board to pay 
such sums as they deemed neces- 
sary, not to exceed $500 to each 
volunteeer credited on the quota of 
the town under the call for 500,000 
men, and the same provision was 
extended to persons who might be 
drafted under the call. At a special 
meeting held August 2 2, 1864, it 
was resolved to extend the same 
provision to persons furnishing sub- 
stitutes under that call. At a spe- 
cial meeting held Sept. 10, 1864, it 
was resolved by a vote of 128 to 24. 
to so amend the latter resolution as 
to pay to each person furnishing an 
acceptable substitute the sum act- 
ually paid to such substitute deduct- 
ing all bounties received by the prin- 
cipal from the government not to 
exceed $1,000; to authorize the 
board, if they in their judgment 
deemed necessary to pay, not to ex- 
ceed $1,000, to each volunteer re- 
quired to fill the quota under that 
call; and to receive the resolution 
to pay $500 to drafted men. Pur- 
suant to these resolutions the board 
issued Aug. 29, 1864, twelve bonds, 
amounting to $3,150 payable Jan. 1, 
1865; and Sept. 19, 1864, 54 bonds 
amounting to $24,490, payable $10,- 
780, in 1865, $11,410 in 1866, 
$1,200 in 1867, and $1,100 in 1868. 
At • special meeting held Dec. 31, 
1864, it was resolved by a vote of 
131 to 36 to pay each volunteer 
credited on the quota of the town 
under the call for 300,000 men a 
sum not to exceed $600 for one 
year's men; $800 for two years' 
men, and $1,0 00 for three years' 
men. The same provision was ex- 
tended to persons furnishing sub- 
stitutes, but they were in no case to 
be paid a greater sum than was 
actually paid for such substitute. 
Pursuant to this resolution bonds 



68 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



were issued as follows: January 9, 
1865, bonds 67 to 78, both inclusive, 
amounting to $3,150, payable, $900 
in 1866, $1,350, in 1867, and $900 
in 1868; January 18, 1865, bonds 
was 79 to 96, both inclusive, 
amounting to $7,638.50, payable 
$1,600 in 1866, $2,138.50; in 1867, 
$2,700; in 1868, and $1,200 in 1869. 
January 26, 1865, bonds was 97 to 
109, both inclusive, amounting to 
$6,350, payable $1,050 in 1866; 
$4,800 in 1867 and $500 in 1868; 
and Feb. 14, 1865, bonds was 110 
to 114, both inclusive, amounting lo 
$1,467.50, payable $1,300 in 1867 
and $167.50 in 1866. As we have 
just been writing about the Civil war 
we think it would be very appro- 
priate to put in a poem written by 
Mrs. Cordelia Beardsley Wilder, in 
the time of the war of the rebellion. 

Say, .Must Our Country Perish? 

Say, must our country perish 

With all that's true and brave, 
The arm of right and freedom. 

Be powerless to save? 
Must we fling down our banner. 

To worthless traitors' yield? 
Our heroes lie unhonored 

Upon the battlefield? 

Hark! Hark! There comes an answer. 

That's pealing loud and long; 
We go to join our brothers 

Three hundred thousand strong. 
We yet will save our country. 

We know we can, we must; 
We'll take the traitors' banner, 

And trail it in the dust. 

'Twill be a tearful parting 

To bid loved ones adieu 
P.ut they will bravely cheer us 

And tell us to be true. 
Our country shall not perish 

Our hopes shall not be crushed, 
For God will surely bless us, 

And aid the cause that's just. 
Oh, 'tis a fearful struggle, 

A nation's blood to spill, 
lUit the Union, now, forever! — 

Shall be our motto still. 
Oh, yes! We'll surely conquer 



The traitors; they must yield, 
And we will bear in triumph 
Our banner from the field. 

CHAPTER Vni 

Personal History. The Reale 

Family 

William Beale came from Lester- 
shire, P^ngland, in 1841 and settled 
at Gilbertsville, later removed to 
Coventry and settled in the south 
western part of the town. He had 
five sons and three daughters. Ann 
Beale married John Bawling of But- 
ternuts. Joseph Beale married 
Anna Maria Hancock, of Syracuse; 
had eight children. Grace married 
Abel Gipson of Mt. Upton; had one 
son. Jennie E. married Stephen 
Fletcher of East Guilford. Alice F. 
married John A. Parker of Guil- 
ford; had two daughters. Edgar L. 
married Lena Phelps of Unadilla; 
had one son. Gertrude L. married 
David Sibley of Butternuts; had one 
son. Minnie E. married Clayton 
Taylor of Sidney. Frederick J. mar- 
ried Laura Puller of Owego; had 
two sons and one daughter. Lillian 
N. married Joseph Hyett of Guil- 
ford; had four sons and two daugh- 
ters. William married Emma Jen- 
kins of Butternuts. John marri?d 
Margaret Webb of Butternuts; had 
three daughters. Sarah married 
William North of Silver Lake, Pa.; "^ 
had three sons and one daughter. 

John Beale married Maryette 
Webb of Butternuts, N. Y. Their 
children were Rosamond, who mar- 
ried Henry Packard of Coventry, 
now living in Greene; has one 
daughter. Carrie, married Russel 
Cookingham of Poughkeepsie; had 
one son. Mary married Vernall 
Arnold. Elizabeth married Isaac 
Hancock of Syracuse; had three sons 
and three daughters. George Han- 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



69 



cock married Mary Fletcher of Bing- 
hamton. Mary married Martin 
Pearsall. Edward C. married Ger- 
trude Weller. Joshua Beale mar- 
ried Sarah Hurlburt of Harpursville. 
James Beale married Lucretia Gary. 
Mrs. Jennie Fletcher is the only 
representative of the Beale family 
now living in the town of Coventry. 
Kelly Family 
John Jacob Kelly was born in 
Laiching, Withingburg, Germany, 
Feb. 4, 1808. His wife» Rosma Has- 
ken, was born Sept. 14, 1802. Mr. 
Kelly was a weaver by trade. His 
three children were all born in Ger- 
many. In 1852 he came to Amer- 
ica and in 1854 his family came, 
consisting of his wife, two daugh- 
ters and one son. Maria, who was 
seventeen years old; Anna, fourteen 
years, and John nine years of age. 
They settled in Coventry and Mr. 
Kelly worked for Phillips and Hoyt 
as long as he lived. His death oc- 
curred Sept. 9, 1862, at the age of 
54 years. His wife died Aug. 5, 
1887, aged 85. Maria married 
George Mangold in 1861, who came 
from Germany with the Kellys; they 
had one son, John Henry, who is 
now living in Coventry. He mar- 
ried Adelaide Connelly Eells, and 
had one son, Carl, who married Vir- 
ginia Van Woert of Coventry and 
lives in Binghamton; also one 
daughter who died when about two 
years old. Mr. Mangold worked for 
James Phillips for a good many 
years and bought a farm and farmed 
it the remainder of his life. He 
died in 1907, aged 72 years. His 
wife is still living, and is quite 
v/ell and in her 77th year. Anna 
married William Seeley; their chil- 
dren are Charles, who married Miss 
Cora Deland; children, two sons, 
Frank and Carl. Ray married Miss 



Grace Palmer; had two sons, and 
Ernest, who married Miss Nina Hall 
and had one child. John Kelly mar- 
ried Miss Laura Stiles of Coventry 
in 1869, and had one son. Prank, 
who married Miss Ada Tifft, and has 
one daughter. Laura married Fred- 
erick Porter, and had one son and 
one daughter. 
John Kelly began clerking in the 
store of Phillips & Hoyt when quite 
a small boy, and by being saving 
and industrious he began to save 
some money. He clerked it for them 
until the death of Mr. Phillips, and 
then he went in partnership with Mr. 
Hoyt, the firm being Hoyt & Kelly, 
until he was unable to do business. 
After Mr. Hoyt resigned he took his 
son Frank in company with him, 
under the firm name of Kelly & Son, 
and the sign hangs there to this day. 
He has been one of the leading men 
in the town for a good many years. 
He has been Justice of the Peace 
for 16 years, and town clerk several 
terms. He has been very promi- 
nent in the Second Congregational 
church. 

Eells Family 

Edward Eells, son of Benjamin 
and Hannah Hanford Eells, was born 
in, lA^alton, Delaware county, May 
20, 1828. He received his education 
in the schools of that place and 
when a young man he went to De- 
posit and learned the tinner's trade. 
In 1852 he was united in marriage 
with Juliette Bennett, and had one 
child, Delos Rockwell. In October, 
1853. his wife died. May 23, 1856, 
he was again united in marriage 
with Miss Emily McCall. She was 
born March 23, 1835; their children 
v/ere Francis Isabel, Granville Mc- 
Call, Adelaide Connelly, Benjamin 
Marvin. Edward Hanford, Emily 



70 



HISTORY OF TFIE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



Juliette, Junius Baird, Georgie Phil- 
lips, Clarence, Sophronia Sisson. In 
1859 he moved to Coventry, worked 
at his trade for Phillips & Hoyt till 
within a year or two of his death, 
which occurred in 1894, dying in 
the asylum. 

Chandler Family 

Rufus Chandler, son of Deacon 

Henry and Penelope Chandler of 

Brattleboro, Vt., who came to this 

-, country at an early date, was born 

ICjf- April 11, r8T^8. His parents being 
poor and having a large family he 
was bound out till he was twenty- 
one, to a man who went to one of 
the southern States, I think it was 
Virginia, and he went with him. 
His education was acquired at the 
common schools which were not as 
good then as now and the people did 
not think as much about keeping 
their children in school in those days 
as they did to keep them to work. 
When he was twenty-one the man 
gave him a pair of horses, wagon 
and harness, and a little money to 
bear his expenses to come to Cov- 
entry. On his way north he traded 
the two horses for three, and if my 
memory serves me right got some 
boot money, and from that on he 
was always speculating in horses 
and buying cattle and driving them 
to Orange county. He was a great 
drover in his day. He also engaged 
quite extensively in farming, own- 
ing several farms. He was quite 
prominent in public affairs having 
been supervisor several times, and 
other offices he has filled in the 
town. He represented this district 
in the Assembly in 1858, so history 
says, but I think there must be a 
mistake in t,he date. I '^ know he 
was Assemblyman, I can remember 
hack to 1853 and I can't remember 



it. He was a sharp shrewd business 
man and acquired quite a large for- 
tune. In the latter part of his busi- 
ness life he was associated with his 
son-in-law, James M. Phillips, and 
Augustus Martin in the drover's 
business. They went to Ohio to buy 
cattle and drove them to Orange 
county, keeping several men to work 
driving cattle. In those days you 
would see large droves of cattle, 
some two or three hundred in a 
drove, and sheep by the thousands 
going through Coventry every week 
or two. He also was connected with 
Zerah Spencer and William Church 
in the mercantile business, the for- 
mer of whom died Feb. 5, 1832, aged 
3 3 years; about which time the busi- 
ness was discontinued. In 1834 he 
resumed business with G. D. Phil- 
lips, to whom after about a year he 
sold his interest. History says he 
was again in the mercantile business 
some two years with Romeo Warren 
and William Church but it don't say 
whether it was before or after he 
was in company with Mr. Phillips. 
He was a strong pillar in the Second 
Congregational church of Coventry. 
On June 10, 1822, he was united in 
the holy bonds of wedlock with Miss 
Laura Benedict, daughter of Ira and 
Anabrit Packard Benedict, born 
March 4, 1799. They lived together 
5 6 years and had one daughter, Ly- 
dia M., born Aug. 28, 1827, who 
married James M. Phillips. I for- 
got to say that Mr. Chandler was 
.Colonel in the militia for a number 
of years. Lydia M. Phillips, wife of 
James M. Phillips, and daughter of 
Rufus, and Laura Chandler, died 
April 23, 1874, aged 47 years. Laura 
Chandler, wife of Rufus Chandler, 
died July 12, 1879, aged 80 years. 
Rufus Chandler died Dec. 28, 1883, 
aged 85 years. Loisa M., daughter 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVENTRY 



71 



of James M .and Lydia M. Chandler 
Phillips, was born Jan. 12, 1862; 
married Julius Doerner; died April 
19, 1887. James M. Phillips died 
Dec. 18, 1900, aged 77 years. 

A poem written by the late 
Chauncey S. Williams. 

Concluding Words 

In the years of the past the forest 
came to stay, 
God in his wisdom planted them 
here and there; 
For a boom and a blessing to man in 
his day, 
With rivers, creeks and showers, 
He watered them with care. 

High were their heads, to receive the 
kiss of the sun. 
The home of the deer, the mink, 
the fox and the hare; 
Their trunks so long and great, had 
a century outgrown 
The climbing sport of the squirrel, 
the wildcat; panther, and the 
bear. 

The red man came to dwell beneath 
their shade. 
To kill his game with bow and ar- 
row, and fish in lake and 
stream. 
He laid it not, 'twas not his to use 
ax or spade, 
But to pitch his tepee where he 
could best lay and dream. 

In time the pioneers, our forefathers, 
came this way. 
From the forest for himself and 
his kin a home to hew; 
A large family of children he raised 
in his day. 
Brave and strong to help him live 
in this country so new. 

The woodman stood beneath the 
giant red beach tree 
Whose broad and leafy head stood 
fifteen times above his own; 
Said he, you give me no bread, I 
cannot live on thee 
Though ten cords of wood you've 
grown. 

Next he stood by the ^ sweet and 
shady maple tree. 
Whose head so green and bright 
rose high, to greet the morning 
light; 



Said he, I know the sugar you grow; 
is sweet and delicious for me 
to eat. 
But I cannot wait, nature's gait 
for the sap to run. 

And thus he said to the oak, elm, 
ash and many other trees, 
Even if later on you could stand 
you'd give us thousands in cash; 
I'll cut you down, you must go into 
the firey seas. 
For none of you, now, give us to 
eat as much even as a plate of 
hash. 

So acres of fallen trees on earth's 
bosom lay at rest. 
In the even tide, torch was ap- 
plied, changing night to day; 
The blaze was grand, terrific and 
sublime, but fearful at best. 
Ashes only were left, of the re- 
mains, that the forest had pass- 
ed away. 

The red man, the Indian, in his 

strength and glory, where oh, 

where is he? 
From the fish in the brook, the 

deer in the chase, he has gone 

to stay; 
In forest or lake, on hill or dale, no 

more can we see him. 
His nation is gone, weak and 

strong, he has passed away. 

Many long, long years did our 
grandparents work and sing, 
To help and bless their children 
in their day. 
They heard the sweet voices in song 
and laughter ring. 
They promised God with humble 
hearts, and silently passed 
away. 

Our parents, when their work was 
done followed on. 
The blessed book they taught us 
in their own sweet way, 
That we might rightly live after 
they were gone above. 
Soon they heard the call, come 
home, and meekly passed away. 

A Few Incidents and Anecdotes of 
the Early Settlers 

I will give you one that happened 
in the Hoyt family at Walton, and 
what happened in one part of the 



72 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



country when it was new is equiva- 
lent to the other. We speak of this 
that happened in the Hoyt family 
because two of the sons came here 
when young men and spent their 
lives here and some of their sons 
did, the Rev. John B. Hoyt, pastor 
of the Second Congregational church 
of Coventry for thirty years, and 
Thaddeus Hoyt, Jr. Many were the 
privations, hardships, and suffer- 
ings that in the first year or two 
the pioneers were called to pass 
through. Provision was scarce, it 
could not be procured. If grain was 
obtained there was no mill to grind 
it. Our father was want to relate a 
deed that will seem incredible to 
this generation. He said they had 
lived on potato bread till they had 
become cloyed of it and their supply 
of this was nearly exhausted. He 
had a bushel of wheat, but there was 
no mill in all the region. One morn- 
ing he slung it across his back and 
traveled with it nearly thirty miles 
lo mill. I think it must have been 
near where the village of Hobart 
now stands, got it ground and the 
next day returned with it in the 
same manner. If, as Col. Chandler 
of Coventry remarked, the one 
whom we have just been writing 
about, when flour was very high, ten 
or twelve dollars a barrel, bread 
tasted much sweeter than when it 
was cheap, — the bread from this 
flour must have been sweet indeed. 
lUit not only was it hard to procure 
bread itself, meat was also scarce. 
They had none but wild game. Our 
father has related an incident which 
he always regarded as a special 
providential interposition. He had 
been over to Franklin and as he was 
returning, coming up the west hill, 
all at once he heard his little dog on 
ahead making a great ado, barking 



at the highest pitch of his voice. 
Coming up to the spot he saw he 
was holding at bay an enormous 
elk standing on a high ledge of 
rocks. He hurried home for his 
gun and then back where he found 
the dog and elk in the same position 
he had left them. Taking aim the 
elk fell at the first fire. It was very 
fat and supplied the families in the 
settlement with savory meat for sev- 
eral months. 

In the early settlement the in- 
habitants w^ere much annoyed by 
wild beasts. Their sheep had to be 
carefully guarded by day and folded 
at night. I will relate a bear story 
which I have heard our father re- 
hearse with no small zest. As he 
and uncle Silas Benedict were at 
work one afternoon towards evening, 
a bear came out of the west woods 
Into the clearing, and descrying 
them slowly returned. They went to 
the house, loaded their guns and 
started in pursuit and discovered 
bruin standing on a bank beyond a 
small stream. They silently made 
their way to an old log some rods 
distant, resting their guns across the 
log they agreed at a given signal 
both to fire together. They fired 
and the bear fell. Uncle Silas im- 
mediately exclaimed, "I have put 
one ball through him, sure am I of 
that!" Father said they had better 
load again before they went up to 
him for they might meet with re- 
sistance. In reloading it was found 
Uncle Silas gun had only flashed in 
the pan, the charge was all in. He 
did not hear the last of killing the 
bear for many months. 

Not only bears, but panthers, in 
some instances, made their appear- 
ance. As Simeon Hoyt, who lived 
where Wm. Hanford now does, went 
out just at dusk to take care of his 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



73 



stock, he saw a huge panther in or 
near his yard. He had no weapon 
with him, but being a man of cour- 
age he plucked a stake from his ox 
sled and drove the beast away, which 
ascended a high stub or dry tree. 
He took care of his cattle then went 
to the house, got his gun and came 
back, but the animal was gone and it 
was too late to pursue him. The 
next morning the whole neighbor- 
hood turned out with horns, guns, 
and axes and tracked him in various 
directions, but the wily animal es- 
caped. 

I will relate one more incident 
which happened in Coventry about 
the year 1815, relating to hard 
times, showing how some of the set- 
tlers had to live and the hardships 
that they had endured. Harvey 
Judd, Sr., lived on the farm long 
known as the Frisbie farm in the 
south west part of the town. One 
winter his wife went away to take 
care of some one that was sick, 
while he and his little son, Harvey 
Judd, Jr., about nine or ten years 
old, lived there alone for three 
weeks. All they had to eat was po- 
tatoes, and all they had to season 
them with was to go to the empty 
pork barrel and get some salt. They 
had no cellar and the potatoes had 
to be buried in a heap out doors. 
The boy said every time he went to 
get some potatoes he would cry for 
fear the potatoes would freeze, for 
he thought if they did they would 
surely starve to death. Now reader, 
whoever you are. don't think that I 
am writing this for fiction for I am 
not. It is the truth. Harvey Judd, 
Jr., has been dead over forty years, 
but when living his word no man 
disputed, it was as good as the 
wheat, and the writer has heard 
this story a good many times; and 



he said that there were several other 
families in the neighborhood in the 
same circumstances, all the meat 
any of them had was what wild 
game they could get. 

Phillips Family 

A history containing an account 
of the Phillips family, from the time 
of their emigrating to America 287 
years ago to the present time, 1912. 

Rev. George Phillips was born in 
Baymon, Norfolk, England. He and 
two of his brothers, Samuel and 
William, were adherents of Crom- 
well and at his death, on account of 
the persecution in England he with 
his brothers and whole congregation 
came over to Boston in company 
with Gov. Winthrop; arrived on the 
second of June 1630. Rev. George 
Phillips settled in Watertown, Mass., 
and died July 1, 1644. 

2. Samuel Phillips, son of Rev. 
George Phillips was born in Box- 
ford, England, in 1625, and died in 
Rowley, Mass., 1696. His children 
were: Sarah, Samuel, George, Eliz- 
abeth, Dorcas, Mary and John. 

3. Rev. George Phillips, son of 
Samuel was born in 1664; settled in 
Brookhaven, L. I., in 1697; died 
1739. His children were: George, 
who lived and died in Smithtown, 
and who was grandfather of George 
S. Phillips of that place. He was 
also grandfather of Major Phillips, 
who was father of Moses and 
George. One settled in Goshen, N. 
Y., the other at Morristown, N. J. 
They have many descendants. Some 
have become very wealthy. John, 
who lived and died in Boston, leav- 
ing only one daughter, who married 
a Dr. Spooner. His two sisters re- 
mained upon the Island. Elizabeth 
married a Roe, the other an 
Anthony. 



7U 



HISTORY ViV THK TOWN' OF COVKNTRY 



4. William, who lived in Smith- 
town. L I,, and died Jan. 11, 1778. 
Sybel, his wife Oct. 31, 1767. They 
were grandparents to G. D. Phillips 
of Coventry. They had eleven chil- 
dren, viz: John, born Sept. 3, 1638, 
died in Milford, Conn., March 12, 
1780, leaving four daughters, all 
since dead. William, born May 27, 
1741, died in Brookhaven, L. I., 
March 27, 1799, the father of Wil- 
liam Phillips, Esq., of Brookhaven. 
His other son, Josiah, and daughter, 
I'ljinr. died young. Zebulon, born 
April 14, 1746, died in Peekskill, N. 
Y., Jan. 13, 1815; left only one child 
and she married Harry Rundell. 

5. James, born March 13, 1751, 
died in Coventry, N. Y., Jan. 20, 
1841. He was the father of G. D. 
Phillips of this place. 

Ebenezer, born July 15, 1753, 
died in Norwalk, Conn., Aug. 5, 
18 29; married Polly Benedict; had 
four daughters: Esther, married a 
Crosby, Sally, married W. P. Stew- 
art; Elizabeth, never married, and 
died in 1862. Sarah, born Oct. 24, 
1756, married a Tillotson and died 
in North Salem, N. Y., Feb. 12, 1827. 

Philetus, born Oct. 24, 1759, mar- 
ried Esther Close. He died in Green- 
ville, N. Y., May 19, 1818. They had 
eight children: Ebenezer, a min- 
ister, settled in East Hampton, L. I. 
Miles died in New York. Nancy 
married William Phillips of Brook- 
haven. and died there. Daniel B., 
was a bachelor, and lived in New 
York. John lived in Ohio. Mary 
died a maiden in New York. 
Philetus lived in New York. 
Esther married a Knowles, and 
died in Greenville, N. Y., in 1865. 
Elizabeth, born Nov. 1762, died in 
Brookhaven, Feb. 4, 1844. She 
never married. Richard and two 
Marys died young. It will be seen 



the ancestors of G. D. Phillips in a 
direct line on his fathers side stands 
thus: 

1. — Rev. George Phillips, who 
emigrated from England in 1630. 

2. — Samuel Phillips. 

3. — Rev. George Phillips. 

4. — William Phillips, a grand- 
father of G. D. Phillips. 

5. — James Phillips, father of G. D. 
Phillips. 

We will now give a more partic- 
ular account of G. D. Phillips 
father's family and his own. 

James Phillips, father of G. D. 
Phillips, was born March 13, 1751, 
and died in Coventry, N. Y., Jan. 
20, 1841. His wife, Mercy Close 
Phillips, died Sept. 23, 1783. By 
her he had two children, Solomon 
Close died a bachelor in Mississippi, 
1830, and Betsey, who married a 
Jennings and she died in 1867. She 
had six children: Eliza, Fannie, 
both of whom are dead; Solomon, 
Lucinda, Huldah and James. His 
second wife, Betsey Drake, he mar- 
ried in 1785. She was the mother 
of G. D. Phillips; born Sept. 10, 
1761; died Sept. 20, 1847. They 
had six children. (1) Fannie, born 
Jan. 25, 1786, died Oct. 23, 1826. 
She married Isaac Wallace and they 
had five children: James Phillips, 
Thomas, John and two Elizabeths, 
the first of whom died in infancy. 
John died a bachelor; the others 
were married. (2) John, born May 
26, 1788, died a bachelor, June 31. 
1823. (3) Gilbert Drake, born June 
3, 1791, married Betsey Miller, Oct. 
2, 1817. She was born March IG, 
1797. They had five children: Dan- 
iel Miller, died an infant; Edgar, 
born July 12, 1818, married Hannah 
M. Hoyt. June 30, 184 1. She was 
born March 2 2, 1821. They had 
tour children: James. Charles E., 



HiSTOKV OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



75 



Edward G. and Wallace H. James 
M. born Nov. 22, 1823, married 
Lydia M. Chandler, Aug. 25, 1847; 
born Aug. 25, 1826; one adopted 
daughter Louisa M., Phoebe Eliza- 
beth, born Jan. 24, 1829; married 
A. J. Hoyt, June 19, 1850. He was 
born May 2, 1825. Had two daugh- 
ters, Alice Louisa and Hattie 
Amelia. Maria Louisa, born Aug. 
27, 1836, married F. Leroy Martin, 
Oct. 27, 1857; has one daughter, 
Mary Louisa. (4) Minerva, born 
Sept. 15, 1793, married Thomas 
Caldwell; had no children. Adopted 
two daughters, Louisa and Maria. 
(5) George Washington, born 
March 9, 1796, died May 30, 1841, 
married Maria Tremper. They had 
seven children: Catherine, Fanny, 
Minerva, Elizabeth, Margaret, 

George and George 2d. (6) Eliza 
Ann, born Sept. 5, 1805. She mar- 
ried Oct. 8, 1843, Rev. J. B. Hoyt, 
for thirty years pastor of the Second 
Congregational church in Coventry. 
They had one child, James Phillips, 
who for many years has been a min- 
ister of the gospel. G. D. Phillips 
died Dec. 18, 1872, aged 72 years; 
his wife, April 25, 1885, aged 88 
years. E. A. Phillips died Jan. 16, 
1881, aged 62 years. His wife, 
March 2, 1885, aged 64 years. 
James M. Phillips died Dec. 18, 
19 00, aged 7 7 years. His wife died 
April 23, 1874, aged 48 years. A. J. 
Hoyt. died Jan 11, 1906, aged 81 
years. His wife died Jan. 5, 1903, 
aged 74 years. E. A. Phillips, if 
not born in Coventry, spent his boy- 
hood days here, his education was 
attained in the common schools 
and at an early age worked in his 
father's store. When a young man 
he entered into partnership with his 
father in the mercantile business, 
which he followed until his death. 



He was very prominent in town af- 
fairs, having been supervisor and 
held other offices. He was very 
active in church matters, having 
been superintendent in the Congre- 
gational church more times than 
any other man in the society. He 
was a smart, shrewd business man, 
and what he undertook prospered. 
He was one of the most capable and 
leading men in the society. His 
death was a great loss to the church 
and neighborhood, and to the com- 
munity at large. History does not 
tell when G. D. Phillips came to 
Coventry. Some of their children 
were born here and those that were 
born here and those that were not 
must have been quite young when 
they came here. 

James M. Phillips was brought up 
here the same as the rest and prob- 
ably was educated in the district 
schools. When a young man he 
was in the mercantile business with 
his father and brother; later he en- 
gaged in farming and droving busi- 
ness with his father-in-law. Colonel 
Chandler, and Augustus Martin, 
which he followed for a good many 
years. He was a very strong prop 
in the Congregational church, both 
spiritual and financial. He was a 
very prominent man in the town 
affairs. In politics he was a Demo- 
crat, and lived in a town that was 
fifty or more majority Republican, 
yet he was supervisor more times 
than any other man in the town. 
In 1859, he accepted a nomination 
for Member of Assembly for the 
southern district of Chenango coun- 
ty, which at that time was fifteen 
hmid'ed Republican majority. He 
was defeated by Joseph Bush of 
Bainbridge by about three hundred 
majority. At that time there was 
great excitement over the Albany 



76 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP" COVKNTRY 



and Susquehanna railroad, and Bush 
promised to work for it if elected, 
and by the means, he carried Bain- 
bridge solid with the exception of 16 
votes. Had the Democrats stood by 
hira in Bainbridge as they did in the 
other towns he would have been 
elected. Again in 1860 he run for 
the same office and was defeated by 
Samuel E. Lewis of Preston by about 
the same majority. He was a man 
of good judgment, always stood up 
for what he thought was right; his 
counsel was often sought and al- 
ways cheerfully given. The poor 
came to him in trouble and he al- 
ways gave them the helping hand 
and cheerful word, and at his death 
he left an aching void, not only in 
his family and relatives, but in the 
community at large, which never 
has, nor never can be filled. I for- 
got to say that he married for his 
second wife Miss Francis Hitt, who 
died a short time ago; date of mar- 
riage and age unknown to me. 

Amasa J. Hoyt came from Greene 
to Coventry near the year 1850; he 
entered into the holy bonds of wed- 
lock with Miss Phoebe Elizabeth 
Phillips, June 19, 1850. In 1851, 
he entered into partnership with G. 
D. Phillips & Sons in the mercantile 
business which he followed as long 
as he was able. He was not very 
active in politics, although a Re- 
publican, he did not aspire to office. 
He was a good worker in the church, 
both spiritual and financial. 

Thorp 

John P. Thorp was a shoemaker 
by trade, taught school some; was 
Justice of the Peace for several 
years and was elected poor master, 
and I think some other office. 

Reader, whoever thou art, if you 
see mistakes in the individual lives 



of those that I am writing, please 
excuse me, for I cannot find in any 
history one single scrap of writing 
concerning their individual history. 
All I have to go by is my own mem- 
ory of fifty-nine years, since I first 
became acquainted with the people 
of this town and what I can remem- 
ber hearing old people say. So it 
would not be strange if a man over 
seventy years of age, writing from 
his own memory of fifty-nine years 
ago should make some mistakes. 
One thing I am sorry for and that is 
I can't find any individual history of 
the lives of the illustrious men of 
this town, for we have had a good 
many of them; but what can't be 
cured must be endured, as the 
school marm used to tell us when 
she applied the birch. Nevertheless, 
I will give you a short sketch of as 
many as I can remember. 

Hiram Chase lived where Mrs. 
Jennie Fletcher now lives. He was 
a butcher and stone mason by trade. 
Reader remember those that I am 
writing about now are way back In 
the early fifties. He sold out to 
John Grant, who was a cooper by 
trade, who had an extensive busi- 
ness for several years. He sold out 
and went to Freetown, Cortland 
county, N. Y. Mr. Chase bought near 
where Burton Jones now lives. He 
stayed there several years and then 
went toMasonville. 

The Widow Stiles lived in the next 
house, had quite a family of chil- 
dren. Joseph Estabrook lived where 
George Endter now lives and work- 
ed at blacksmithing in the old wood- 
en shop that stood where the stone 
shop now stands, he worked there 
several years, and died a year or two 
ago in Oxford. 

The next house on the corner 
William Church owned and lived in 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVKNTRY 



77 



it. He had a large family of boys 
and girls, several of them grown up 
and some of them married at that 
time. He run a large store where 
Grange hall now is. He was also a 
drover. The next house east was 
where Frederic Martin lived. He 
was born and brought up in this 
town, on the farm known as the T. 
B. Foot farm, where the factory 
was, now owned by the Lindseys. 
He was a drover and somewhat 
prominent in town affairs. The next 
east is where Romeo Warren lived. 
He was a drover and farmer. He 
had two sons and two daughters; 
Mary taught select school. 

Then comes what we call the 
temperance house, built by G. D. 
Phillips for a Temperance Hotel and 
run as such for a good many years. 
It was run by Charles Lewis when I 
first knew it. He was a harness 
maker and worked at his trade for 
a good many years and finally mov- 
ed to Connecticut. John Treadway 
run it for a while, then George Corn- 
ish, and one Seeley. The next house, 
I think, was owned by G. D. Phillips 
and sons. It was rented most of 
the time. The house next was own- 
ed and occupied by J. W. D. Fletcher 
Moon. He was a blacksmith by 
trade and worked at it when I first 
remember this place and for a good 
many years afterward. He had 
quite a family of children, and I 
don't know whether any of them 
are living or not. One of ,the daugh- 
ters married Edgar A. Pearsall, a 
former Assemblyman, who now lives 
in Oxford. Her death occurred a 
few years ago in Oxford and her 
body was brought here for burial. 
I don't remember who owned the 
next house, but it was occupied by 
a man named Dole, an oldish man, 
a day laborer and also sexton for a 



good many years in the Congrega- 
tional church. If my memory serves 
me right he was father-in-law to 
Fletcher Moon. Then came the 
house owned and occupied by John 
Keyes. He had two sons and two 
daughters, and was a day laborer. 
One of his daughters, Jane, married 
Albert Williams, who was a shoe- 
maker living here for a few years. 
She is now dead and he now lives 
in Binghamton. Emeline married 
Sylvester Packard. He is dead and 
she is still living. Andrew, I don't 
know who he married for his first 
wife, but he married Emily Jones 
for his second and lives in Oxford. 
James, I think lives in Norwich. 

I don't remember who owned the 
next house, but it was occupied by 
a widow Andrews, she had one son 
and one daughter grown up, the 
daughter married Chauncey Man- 
ning. The last two houses named 
have been joined together; well, 
not in holy wedlock, for I don't 
think the minister did it, but the 
carpenter joined them in some kind 
of a lock. They are now owned and 
occupied by Oral Dalton. That was 
the last house on that side of the 
road. 

John P. Thorp lived where John 
Mangold now lives. He had one 
daughter. Flora, who married Dr. 
Jesse Bartoo of Greene. 

A little north of the churches 
where Mr. Palmer now lives, the 
widow Phillips lived. Her husband 
was brother to G. D. Phillips. She 
had five daughters and two sons; 
one daughter married Dr. Wm. H. 
Beardsley of Coventry, and one mar- 
ried Reuben Rolf of Coventry, a 
farmer. I don't know about the 
rest of the family. 

The next house north where Vir- 
gil Andrews now lives, was George 



78 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



Kej-es'. He married a widow Gris- 
wold, who had two sons and one 
daughter, Delos and Lewis, and if 
I remember the daughter's name 
was Louisa. 

Just across the road is where Rev. 
J. B. Hoyt lived, mention of him has 
been made before. How many chil- 
dren he had by his first wife I don't 
know, but there was one daughter 
who married Clement Blakesley, a 
farmer, and lived a little west of the 
village. There were some boys. By 
his second wife he had one son, 
James, who was a minister. Going 
down the corner of East Main street 
and you come to where Dr. Beards- 
ley lived. He had four sons, all 
married and all living; only one, 
C. G., lives in town. 

The next house west is where 
Luman Jones lived. He was a shoe- 
maker by trade and had a large fam- 
ily of children. Only one, Burton, 
now living in town. The next is 
where Henry Parker lived, and he 
was a wagon maker by trade. He 
had one daughter. 

The next is where Luther Hazen 
lived, who was a wagon maker. He 
had two sons. He built the shop 
which is now owned by George 
Hamilton and run a cabinet and 
undertaking business. 

Then comes the Orchard Bristol 
place. He was a wagon maker. He 
had one son by his first wife, who 
was a Benedict. The son, James 
E., became a reformed Methodist 
minister. In 1857, Mr. Bristol sold 
his place to Zenas Hutchinson. He 
and his wife and daughter lived 
here until the death of both parents; 
after which the daughter married 
Chauncey S. Williams, and lived 
here until their deaths. She died 
Dec. 10, 1901, and he Jan. 31, 1912. 

The next is where E. A. Phillips 



lived, who was one of the merchants 
of this place, which business he 
followed as long as he lived. He 
had four sons, and not one of the 
name is now living in Coventry. In 
1853 he built the house that Frank 
Kelley now lives in and lived there 
until his death, Jan. 16, 1881. 

Turn and go north up Gothic 
street and the first house is where 
Miss Polly Manning and Mrs. Almira 
Moore lived. They were milliners 
and had a shop there. The next 
house is where Mrs. Hoyt now lives, 
was not built then. 

The next one is where Lemuel 
Lewis lived. He was a carpenter 
and joiner by trade and built several 
houses in the village. He had three 
daughters and one son, one daugh- 
ter died young. Laura never mar- 
ried. Elizabeth married Stephen 
Palmer of Chenango Forks. 

The next house, the Congrega- 
tional parsonage, was not built at 
that time. Across the road is where 
A. J. Hoyt lived. I think he built 
that house in 1853. He was one of 
the firm of Phillips & Hoyt in the 
mercantile business, which he fol- 
lowed as long as he was able to 
work. He had two daughters: 
Hattie, married William Parker; 
Alice married Stephen Berry. 

Go on down to the corner of East 
Main street and you will find where 
Daniel Beecher lived. He built the 
house and lived there several years 
and was a carpenter by trade. In 
after years he farmed it. He had 
two daughters: Carrie, married 
Burton Jones of Coventry; Emily 
married Herbert Tower. 

The next house west is where 
Erastus Greene lived. He was a 
shoemaker and had two daughters. 
Emily married Charles Johnson; 
Marv, a Gardner. 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



79 



The next is where G. D. Phillips 
lived. It is not needful to say any- 
thing more of him here, for you 
have got a sketch of his life in this 
book. 

Next comes the store of Phillips & 
Hoyt, occupied by them in 1853, 
now occupied by Kelley & Son. 

Turn the corner to the right and 
you come to what we now call the 
grocery store. In 1853 it was own- 
ed and occupied by John Foote, a 
shoemaker and tanner. The lower 
part was occupied by him as a shoe 
shop and the upper part by John 
Treadway for a harness shop and by 
Hector Porter as a pocket book 
factory. 

The next house, where A. P. Stan- 
ton, now lives, is where Hector Por- 
ter lived. He had one son and one 
daughter. Sarah married Harvey 
Wilkins. William married Mary 
Jane Whitington. The next house 
was where John Treadway lived, 
now owned by Mrs. Catherine Lewis. 
He had two sons and two daughters 
and was a harness maker by trade. 

The next house is where Col. Ru- 
fus Chandler lived and the next is 
where James Phillips lived. You 
have a history of their lives in 
previous chapters. 

The next house is where John 
Foote lived, now used as the M. E. 
parsonage. As has already been 
said he was a shoemaker and tanner 
by trade. He had two daughters: 
Lydia Ann, who married Henry Mil- 
ton Ketchum and removed to Min- 
nesota; and Jane Amanda. Mr. 
Foote afterwards sold and went to 
St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Gideon Minor lived next. I think 
he taught school in his younger 
days. He had one daughter, Jennie, 
who married James Barnes of Bing- 
hamton, N. Y. 



Coming back down North Maple 
street there used to stand a house a 
little north of the hotel, an old 
couple by the name of Barnum lived. 
The house has been gone for a good 
many years. 

Next on the list is the hotel kept 
by Luman Miles. He run a hotel 
and farmed it there for a good many 
years. He had two sons and two 
daughters: Leroy, married Hattie 
Durham, kept hotel at East Corners; 
Frank, married Mary Bump; Helen^, 
married Charles Johnson, and Dilla 
married George Race. 

Going down West Main street and 
the first house was where Daniel 
Hays lived. He was a tanner by 
trade and worked at his trade. There 
was a tannery near his house. He 
was a strong supporter in the M. E. 
church. He had two stons and two 
daughters: Liza, married Edward 
Smith; Anna, never married; Edgar 
and Hamilton, 

The next house is where Zenas 
Hutchinson lived, who had two 
daughters: Sophia, who died at 17 
years of age, and Callista, who 
married Chauncey Williams. Hutch- 
inson soon after sold to Romeo War- 
ren, who in a few years sold to Dr. 
Harvey iBeardsley. It was after- 
wards owned by John Kales and 
then by his son James, then by Mrs. 
James Kales, and now by Charles 
Hoyt. 

Coming back and on the other 
side of the road in what is known as 
the Kingsley house was where Wil- 
liam Porter lived. Afterwards C. K. 
Pierce lived there, who had tv/o sons 
and two daughters. He was the 
father of Frank Pierce, so well 
known in Coventry.. C. K. Pierce 
was a carpenter by trade. Helen 
married George Barnett; Lovie 
married Perry Van Dusen; Frank 



80 



HISTOKV OF THK TOWN OF COVExNTRY 



married Ida Wylie. The ereamery 
and the house where Ralph Hinsdale 
now lives was not built then. 

Then opposite the hotel was 
where Calvin Blakesley lived, who 
was Justice of the Peace for twenty- 
four years. He afterwards sold and 
bought the farm west of the village 
now owned by Hubert Wade. He 
had two sons: Clement, who mar- 
ried Emeline Hoyt, and Calvin, who 
went to Canada to live. 

I left out one house on Maple 
street, the house now owned by 
Charles Fisk. It was owned by 
Augustus Rice, a cooper by trade 

The house on East Main street 
known as the John Southworth 
house was not built then. 

Going south from the Four Cor- 
ners you came to the M. E. church, 
which was built in 1853, and the old 
school which stood just beyond was 
built the same year. That has been 
removed and a new one built some 
twelve years ago. 

The next two houses was not there 
in 1853. In getting the Packard fam- 
ily I missed one, Ann^a Packard, 
who married Ira Benedict. 

Lemuel Lewis, one of a family of 
eleven, was born Dec. 17, 1804, in 
Wolcott, New Haven county, Conn., 
and remained there until fifteen 
years old; then he moved to Plaiu- 
ville, Hartford county, named the 
town and built the first house in 
Plainville. He moved from there 
to Coventry Nov. 12, 1835. He had 
three daughters and one son. Mr. 
Lewis built the M. E. church in Cov- 
entry from the foundation, done the 
inside work of both the other 
churches and raised two bells in the 
steeple of the Second Congregational 
church. On his 9 2d birthday they 
made him a suprise at his son's, 
Charles licwis. in Coventry, Dec. 17. 



I will tell all that was wrote about 
it but will say there were fifty- 
eight present. I will give the article 
written and read by Mrs. S. B. 
Wilder: 

Ti'lbute to Mr. JLeiiiuel Lewis on 
His 92(1 Birthday 

Ninety-two years ago today in the 
town of Wolcott, New Haven county, 
Conn., our esteemed friend first 
opened his baby eyes with wonder 
on this strange world, and since that 
time life's Journey has been long to 
the weary one whom today we greet. 
Many changes have came to him all 
along life's way. He has seen both 
shadow and sunshine, and some- 
,times it has seemed as if the clouds 
would never roll by, but such is not 
life; the clouds will roll away from 
every burdened heart and we trust 
today our aged friend is looking 
towards the setting sun with joy 
and trusting in a life of unfading 
sunlight beyond. 

Just now, we pause, along life's way, 

.4nd count the rapid flight of 

time; 

Ah! Olden memories come today. 

And long lost strains of auld lang 

syne. 

Ninety-two years with hopes and 
care. 
With childhood's joys and youth's 
bright dream; 
And manhood's toiling strong and 
brave. 
While rowing far out on life's 
stream. 

Oftimes the journey has been rough, 
And burdens seemed too great to 
bear; 

Yet Jesus telleth all the way 
Of rest unbroken "over there." 

Ninety-two years, with changing 

scenes. 
With home and friends, with 

cheering words, 
With joy and love, with grief and 

tears. 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



81 



With music and with broken 
chords. 

There will be briers where roses 
bloom, 
There will be budding hopes 
crushed down; 
There will be harps with broken 
strings 
For every cross there is a crown. 

There in that land we'll never grow 
old, 
The feet shall never tire with 
care; 
No silver thread among the gold; 
No night, nor tearful watching 
there. 

Yet when thy feet shall touch the 
stream. 
Thou shalt not sink beneath the 
tide, 
For faith in Jesus then shall bear 
Thee safely to the other side. 

Then God be with you till we meet. 
Where toil and tears are e'er un- 
known. 
Across the river, bye and bye, 
vVe'll dwell forever safe at home. 
As has already been said I can 
get but little personal history of in- 
dividuals in this place, but I can get 
a little from obituaries of some of 
the town's former inhabitants, 

Sampson 

Emogene Louisa Martin, daugh- 
ter of Frederic Martin, was born in 
Coventry, Aug. 20, 1840. Her girl- 
hood and younger life was spent 
here. She was educated in the 
schools of this place. In 1861, she 
was united in the holy bonds of 
wedlock with I. S. Sampson, who 
with three daughters survive her, 
having buried her only son in 1878. 
The large portion of her life was 
spent in Cincinnatus, N. Y., where 
she was a member of the M. E. 
church. In her life she was unself- 
ishly devoted to her family and the 
church. Such were the natural 
sympathy of her heart that she was 
often found at the bedside of the 



sick. As a mother she was kind 
and affectionate. She was over 
twenty years the organist of the 
church where she toiled unceasingly 
to help to make the services of God's 
house of the greatest possible help. 
The last few years of her life was 
spent in DeRuyter. Her failing 
health prevented her from active 
church work as she had formerly 
done, but in her own life she was 
the same sweet spirited woman as in 
her more active years. September 
11, 1896, she passed from this life 
to the other. 

Wylie 
Judge Hawley J. Wylie was born 
in Coventry, Chenango county, N. 
Y., Dec. 3, 1833. When he was 14 
years old his father died and at the 
age of 17 he began teaching school, 
attending Norwich Academy during 
the summers. He left the academy 
in 1855 and for two years was en- 
gaged in mining for gold in Cali- 
fornia. In March, 1859, he came to 
Columbus, Ohio, and entered the 
law office of Messrs. Greiger & An- 
drews. On April 1, 1861, he was 
admitted to the bar by the Supreme 
Court, Judge Robert B. Warden, 
and Noah H. Swayne, late Associ- 
ate Justice of the United States 
C!ourt, being the examining com- 
mittee. Judge Wylie had a military 
record which began in July, 1862, 
when he recruited Company H, of 
the Ninety-fifth O. V. I., made up 
of Columbus men mostly. On July 
18, 1862, the company was muster- 
ed at Camp Chase, Judge Wylie be- 
ing commissioned captain. The reg- 
iment was sent to Kentucky, where 
at the battle of Richmond on Aug. 
31, it was nearly riddled with 
wounded, captured and killed. On 
December 5, his regiment not hav- 
ing been exchanged, Captain Wylie 



82 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



resigned and began the practice of 
law in the city of Columbus with 
the late Judge W. R. Rankin. He 
was elected city solicitor in 1863, 
and re-elected in 1865, serving four 
years. At the October election in 
1881 he was elected Judge of the 
Court of Common Pleas for the 
counties of Madison, Pickaway and 
Franklin. He took his seat on 
February 9, 1882. His term ex- 
pired on February 9, 1887. Dur- 
ing his term he presided over the 
criminal branch of the courts and 
helped out on the chancelor side. 
After his retirement from the bench 
he resumed the practice of law. 
Judge Wylie was a brother of the 
late John Wylie of Coventry and an 
uncle of Mrs. W. A. Baldwin of 
this village. He visited here in 
1911 and will be remembered by 
many of the older inhabitants. — 
Columbus, Ohio Dispatch. 

Parker 

James S. Parker was born in the 
town of Coventry and lived here 
nearly all his life. He was West 
about five years and in his old age 
lived with his son in New Jersey. 
In his younger days he taught 
school and was a farmer, and after- 
wards run a grocery store. He was 
quite prominent in town affairs, 
holding oflfice of Justice of the Peace 
for several years and I think another 
office. For many years he was a 
leading member of the Second Con- 
gregational church of Coventry. 

Watrous 

Jerome Watrous was born in Cov- 
entry in 1849 and spent all his life 
in this town. Ho was much respect- 
ed in the community where he lived 
and in the whole town and he will 
be greatly missed. He was a kind 



husband and a loving father, and 
had a good word for every one. He 
leaves to mourn his departure a 
wife, one daughter, Mrs. Pearl Bad- 
ger, and one sister, Mrs. Eugenie 
Parker. He was a farmer and ac- 
cumulated considerable wealth. He 
had been in poor health for some 
time. 

Wylie 

Hubbard H. Wylie wa3 born in 
Coventry Dec. 6, 1828, on what is 
now known as the George Wylie 
farm, and died at his home in this 
town Jan. 16, 1910, aged 81 years. 
With the exception of one year spent 
in the West, when a young man, he 
lived all his life in town and was 
well known. In 185 7 he was mar- 
ried to Miss Sabrah Brown of Har- 
pursville, and soon after they 
bought the farm where they lived 
and where he died. Mr. Wylie being 
a carpenter, built the house where 
they have since passed fifty-two 
years of life together. One son, 
Jesse, was born and lived to be 19 
years old, when he died in 1886. 
Mr. Wylie was always a kind and 
helpful neighbor and true friend, 
with always a pleasant word for 
every one. He had filled many of- 
fices of trust and honor in town af- 
fairs, and could always be counted 
on as doing what was the right 
tl ing. He will be greatly missed by 
a large circle of relatives and 
friends. 

Hunt 

Nelson G. Hunt, son of Benjamin 
and Rebecca Hunt, was born in 
Towanda, Pa., in 1824. He was 
married to Emeline Hunt March 11, 
1847, and five children were born to 
them, four of whom, Frank R. Hunt, 
of Newark. N. Y., D. N. Hunt, Mrs. 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



83 



E. H. Wheeler and Mrs B. W. Par- 
sons, survive him. Mr. Hunt be- 
came a resident of this town in 
1856, and has been an exemplary 
member of the First Congregational 
church for 43 years and was always 
in attendance when able to be pres- 
ent. He was a deacon in the church 
for a number of years and was a 
man of excellent character. Be- 
fore disease came upon him he was 
a man of more than ordinary activ- 
ity and intelligence, possessing a 
bright and cultivated mind. In early 
life he was a teacher for seven 
years, then was town superintend- 
ent of schools. He was always act- 
ively identified with the affairs of 
the town, having held the office of 
Justice of the Peace for 28 con- 
secutive years. Mr. Hunt was a man 
of influence, respected and loved by 
a large circle of friends; a kind and 
loving husband and father, a true 
and upright man. He had been in 
poor health for the past ten years, 
and has been most tenderly cared 
for by his wife and children.. He 
passed quietly to a higher life of 
immortality on Friday morning 
July 21, 1899, at the advanced age 
of 75 years. 

Kales 

James Kales, son of John Kales, 
was born in Coventry and brought 
up in this place. His early educa- 
tion was received at the common 
district school in this village. He 
married Nellie, daughter of Ezra 
Foote. The deceased has always 
been thoroughly identified with the 
interests of the community and 
prominent in town affairs, holding 
the office of supervisor, if I am in- 
formed right, for one or two terms, 
and in his death we lose a most 
substantial and public spirited citi- 



zen. He was ever ready to help the 
unfortunate, and his life will be held 
in affectionate rememberance by 
many who feel that in his death, 
they have received irreparable loss. 
When a kind and loving husband 
and brother dies the busy world 
takes little note, but those who 
knew his worth, and we who mourn, 
desire to express our thoughts in 
words of love. We cannot look be- 
yond the stars. We cannot find in 
this cold clay the consolation that 
we seek, but the mystery that sur- 
rounds this bier must be the perfect 
working of the law, though hard to 
bear, we must submit, and to thy 
tender mercy, give back to thee, 
this soul. He passed away April 27, 
aged 49 years. But this we know, 
and be it known, a gentle spirit has 
been called. There are surviving 
him a widow and two sisters, Mrs. 
John Manderville of Brocton, Mass., 
and Mrs. Charles Frieot of Bain- 
bridge, besides a host of friends. 
The services at the grave were con- 
ducted in the rites of the Masonic 
order. In this quiet burial place 
and where the sky is nearly always 
blue and the air is pure and sweet, 
we tenderly placed him among the 
flowers and with heavy hearts and 
faltering steps, withdraw to await 
the promises of God. 

Mrs. Wood 

Lucy J., daughter of Truman and 
Jane Southworth of Coventry, was 
born Aug. 8. 1840. Her youthful 
days were spent there; her educa- 
tion was acquired at the district 
school. At the age of 26 on Sept. 
26, she was united in hymeneal 
bonds with Wallace W. Wood of 
Cincinnatus, .N Y., and since that 
date has resided in that place. Of 
this union one son was born, Frank 



8J^ 



HISTORY OF THI'] TOWN OF COVENTRY 



S. Wood of Taylor. Mrs. Wood, 
having lived in Coventry till she was 
26 years of age, she left many warm 
friends here, and has always been 
esteemed for her many admirable 
qualities, her spirit of friendship 
and interest in the welfare of others, 
and her many kindly acts which 
will not be forgotten. Her death 
occurred April 11, 1912. She leaves 
a husband and son to mourn the 
loss of devoted wife and kind and 
indulgent mother. 

Thorp 

John P. Thorp, an old and re- 
spected citizen, a life long resident 
of this town, and one that was much 
esteemed by all that knew him. He 
was the father of Mrs. J. E, Bartoo 
of Greene, and passed away at the 
home of his nephew in Rochester, 
April 18, 1903. His remains were 
brought to Coventry and buried by 
the side of his wife, who had passed 
on a few years before. 

SouthAvorth 

.John Southworth, son of Truman 
Sr., and Jane Southworth, was born 
in Coventry and spent his life here. 
He farmed it till he got to be an old 
man and then moved into the vil- 
lage. He had one of those strong, 
iron constitutions, and but few men 
wanted to, nor could do the work 
that he done. A singular coincidence 
happened at his death which oc- 
curred in 1911, he dying all alone 
in the same house where his wife 
died alone, a few years previous. 
Truman Southworth, brother of 
John, a highly respected citizen, was 
born in 184?, and lived in this town 
all his life, with the exception of 
a year or two spent in Binghamton. 
He was a farmer and somewhat 



prominent in town affairs, holding 
the office of highway commissioner 
for several years. In early life he 
married a Miss Elliott and lived for 
a good many years in the north 
east part of the town. They had 
two sons, Guy and Ray. The last 
three years of their lives they spent 
in the vilage of Coventry. Mrs. 
Southworth received a shock In 
March, 1910, and another in No- 
vember of the same year. She was 
a great sufferer. She died on 
Saturday, Dec. 31, 1910. Saturday 
evening the spirit of little Ernest, 
only son of Ray and Lena South- 
worth, winged its flight to his 
heavenly home, after an illness of 
little more than a week of spinal 
trouble. Mrs. Southworth was 70 
years of age, she was a kind and lov- 
ing mother and was tenderly cared 
for by her husband and two sons. 
She was a member of the First Con- 
gregational church of Coventry. 
Truman A. Southworth, the father, 
died Jan. 5, 1911, only a few days 
after the others, from Bright's dis- 
ease. He had been in poor health 
for some time. He left two sons. 
Surely this family has seen double 
and triple affliction within a few 
days. 

Allis 

Spencer F. Allis was born in the 
town of Coventry, N. Y., in 1836. 
His early education was acquired in 
the district school; his boyhood days 
were spent there. He married a 
Miss Kales, daughter of William 
Kales. They had three sons and one 
daughter. He was a farmer, and 
also very prominent in town affairs. 
He was one of Coventry's most 
trustworthy men, having held the 
office of supervisor for several terms 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



86 



with marked ability. He was a 
shrewd business man and a whole- 
souled citizen. Mr. Allis moved 
from Coventry to Greene several 
years ago for the purpose of giving 
his children better school advan- 
tages than they could get at home 
and to escape the hardship of farm 
life. He died in 1888, aged 52 
years, right in the prime of life by 
an overdose of laudanum taken ac- 
cidentally by his own hand. His sad 
and untimely ending brought sor- 
row to his family and to a large 
circle of friends, who had known 
him from his boyhood days. 

Jones 

Chester L. Jones was born in Cov- 
entry, July 23, 183 2, and was mar- 
ried to Sarah E. Rogers, Sept. 23, 
1856. She died July 2, 1891, in 
Philadelphia. Their children were 
one daughter and four sons. After 
the death of his first wife he mar- 
ried Mrs. Esther Mumford, Nov. 17, 
189 2. She has given him most as- 
siduous and tender care in his ill- 
ness and filled a difficult and trying 
pl-nce in his home most admirably 
Mr. Jones was very prominent in 
town affairs, holding the office of 
highway commissioner for two 
terms, assessor one term, and was 
Justice of the Peace for several 
years. He had been trustee of the 
Presbyterian church of Nineveh and 
was serving his second term as elder 
when he died. He united with the 
church in Coventry when he was 20 
years old. For 45 years he had 
been a member of the Presbyterian 
church at Nineveh. In the little 
vale with its running brook, known 
as Church Hollow, he came years 
aso with only a log house to re- 
ceive him. Here he erected build- 
ings comfortable and convenient. 



building the beautiful winding road 
along the stream to the main thor- 
oughfare. Here the smiling acres 
answered to his toil with generous 
harvest; two spears of grass grew 
where one had grown before. How 
much of toil, sacrifice and endeavor 
is between these lines. Here stal- 
wart sons and daughters grew up to 
mature life. In all his efforts he 
was seconded by his worthy help- 
mate who was a helpmate indeed. 
With age we look for weakness, in- 
firmity, failing power, but our 
brother had few marks of decay; 
We did not think of him as old, so 
youthful was he, until bereavement 
touched him, and the wife of his 
youth departed. He was a young- 
man, then we saw the sickle of the 
years begin to reap their harvest. 
He was a man of energy and thrift, 
the life of the husbandman demands 
a strenuous life, he also found time 
to work at carpenter work, and 
thus interest could be met and the 
debt slowly paid. All farmers know 
what a life this demands. He was a 
good neighbor. That word in cities 
and large towns has lost its sweet 
significence, we have what we pay 
for, but money will not buy some 
things, and that which money will 
not command comes to rural com- 
munities in the form of neighborly 
offices, in bereavement, in disaster, 
in sudden press of work. Long will 
the dale where our brother lived so 
long remember his cordial word, his 
hearty hand grasp, his jovial spirit. 

>Ian<leville 

Ashal Mandeville was born in 
Coventry in 18 — , and was the son 
of Malancton Mandeville, who came 
in here when it was all woods and 
cleared his farm. Ashal's early edu- 
cation was gained in the district 



86 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



school and in 1868 he married 
Rachael M. Kales of Coventry, who 
still survives him. Mr. Mandeville 
retained the ownership of the home- 
stead farm in Coventry, and of 
which he became possessor; he culti- 
vated this farm in a manner which 
yielded profitable results, and he 
was considered a wealthy farmer. 
About 19 years ago he retired and 
moved to the village of Bainbridge. 
His retired life has been quiet and 
unassuming. He loved his home 
and devoted much time to reading. 
He was a regular attendant at the 
Presbyterian church. Mrs. Louisa 
M. Curtis of Orange, N. J., is the 
only child surviving. Mr. Mande- 
ville left two brothers, one in Min- 
nesota and the other at Brocton, 
Mass., and a sister in New Haven, 
Conn. There are two sisters of the 
wife, one Mrs. S. F. Allis of Seattle, 
Washington, and the other Mrs. 
Sarah J. Cahoon of Elyria, Ohio. 

Roe 

Alanson Roe, a man over 90 years 
of age, who came ,to his tragic 
death by the house burning up, was 
born April 18, 1808, in Dutchess 
county. N. Y. He was married Oct. 
16, 1834, to Miss Louisa Smith of 
Coventry, a most estimable lady by 
whom he had seven children, four 
of whom survive him. Mrs. Roe 
died March 20, 1888. They cele- 
brated their golden wedding in 1884. 
Mr. Roe was a genial, kindly man 
and had been a consistent member 
of the Second Congregational 
church of Coventry for upwards of 
40 years. He was a man that took 
keen interest in the affairs of church 
and State up to the time of his 
death. He had a remarkable mem- 
ory and had committed to memory 
a great many chapters of the Bible, 



and took great delight in conversing 
about spiritual things. He knew in 
whom he believed and said but a 
short time before he met his sad 
death, that he was only waiting the 
master's call. He rests from his 
labors, and his works do follow him. 

Mrs. John P. Thorp 

The many friends of Mrs. John P. 
Thorp were deeply grieved to hear of 
her death, which occurred at her 
home at Coventry .March 11, 1911, 
aged 74 years. Mrs. Thorp's maiden 
name was Diana Waters. She was 
born in Coventry in October, 1827, 
being the daughter of Russell and 
Roxey Waters, and the third child 
in a family of five. In the fall of 
1848 she was united in marriage to 
John P. Thorp and the young couple 
resided in Oxford for four years. In 
1852 they returned to Coventry and 
took their residence at the pleasant 
place which has since been their 
home for over 50 years, and where, 
one daughter, Florence, was born to 
them. Mrs. Thorp w^as a member of 
the Second Congregational church of 
Coventry and her strong Christian 
spirit, affectionate disposition, and 
sympathetic nature that were hers, 
have so endeared her to those she 
came in contact with, that her death 
brings an acute sense of personal 
loss and grief to all who knew her. 
She had been in failing health for 
several years, but always met her 
friends with a cheerful smile, and 
at the last, the end came suddenly, 
and she slipped away from this mor- 
tal life into that life which is im- 
mortal. She was survived by her 
aged husband, but he is now gone, 
and one daughter, Mrs. Jesse Bartoo 
of Greene, who have the sympathy 
of all in their loss. She was laid to 
rest in the cemetery at Coventry. 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



87 



Landers 

Mrs. Dotha Landers, the oldest 
person then living in the town of 
Coventry, died at her home in Wil- 
kins Settlement, on Jan. 16, 1892, at 
the advanced age of 98 years and 
some months. The funeral was at- 
tended at her late residence, the 
home of Melvin Lyon, on the 18th. 
Mrs. Landers was one of those droll 
characters seldom found, but when 
once seen always remembered. She 
was a good, well meaning woman^ 
but her hobbies were numerous and 
the earnestness with which she de- 
nounced all secret societies and 
harmless amusements gave rise to 
much good natured hilarity among 
the young people, and Aunt Dotha, 
as she was familiarly called, was 
well known far and near. She pre- 
served her physical strength to a re- 
markable degree and was able to 
walk about and to visit her neigh- 
bors until the very last years of her 
life. She told many stories of the 
far past, which were received with 
pleasure. One of her sisters was a 
district school teacher of consider- 
able note in the good old time, and 
Mrs. Landers frequently mentioned 
with considerable pride the fact that 
Henry Ward Beecher, when a boy 
used to attend her sister's school. 
Thus, one by one, the very few 
links left that connect us with the 
past century are passing away. 

Warren 

Elisha M. Warren was born in the 
town of Coventry. His early educa- 
tion was gained in the common 
schools. He was married Sept. 18, 
1879. His home was in Coventry 
until he became middle aged, when 
he removed to Bainbridge and has 
been associated with Jesse Ander- 
son, under the firm name of Warren 



& Anderson in the boot and shoe 
business for about 30 years. He 
died on the road of heart failure, 
between Sidney and Bainbridge 
while coming home from camp meet- 
ing. He was 76 years old and was 
buried at Coventryville. 

Smith 

Russell M. Smith was a son of 
Clark Smith and was born in Cov- 
entry Jan. 26, 1813. His whole life 
was spent in his native town and 
within a short distance of the place 
of his birth. In early life he united 
with the Second Congregational 
church of Coventry and was for a 
number of years a deacon in that 
church. Later he removed to 
Church Hollow and became a mem- 
ber and a ruling elder in the Presby- 
terian church in Nineveh. He after- 
wards returned to his farm where 
he died, and connected himself with 
the First Congregational church of 
Coventry, of which he was a faithful 
and esteemed member at the time of 
his death. July 4, 1838, he was 
married to Miss Annette Beecher, a 
sister of Dr. H. H. Beecher, late of 
Norwich, who preceded him to the 
grave March 21, 1877. Three chil- 
dren were born to them, but one of 
whom is living, C. Eugene Smith, 
who resides about one mile from the 
old homestead in Coventry. Mr. 
Smith was truly one of nature's 
noblemen. He was naturally of a 
retiring and unassuming disposition 
but was never backward nor slow to 
do, when service was needed and his 
fellow men could be helped. He 
carried his Christian principles into 
his daily life. His Christian faith 
moved and controlled him in all his 
actions and was a constant strength 
and joy to him in all of his ex- 
periences. He won and held the 



ss 



HISTORY OF THP: TOWN OF COVENTRY 



highest respect and esteem of all 
who knew him. His life went out 
peacefully in the full assurance of 
the Christian hope. In his death 
his native town has lost one of its 
oldest and best citizens, and the 
church of which he was a member, 
and the circle of friends and rela- 
tives, will long feel their loss. 

Andrews 

Death has again invaded our 
quiet community and taken two of 
our most highly esteemed citizens. 
On Thursday of last week the peo- 
ple about here were pained to learn 
of the death of Henry Andrews, 
which occurred early that morning 
at his late residence. Mr. Andrews 
was a soldier and a member of the 
114th Regt. during the Civil war, 
not entering the service for the sake 
of a bounty, as he got none, but like 
many others he left family, home 
and friends to defend his country 
out of pure patriotism. He was 
dangerously wounded at the battle 
of Cedar Creek, from which he so 
far recovered as to enjoy comfort- 
able health for many years after the 
war, but in these later years the old 
wound ulcerated and he suffered 
much for a long time until at last 
death came to his relief. He was 
the soul of honor in all the business 
relations of life. In his youth he 
became converted and united with 
the Baptist church of Coventry, of 
which he was deacon at the time of 
his death. He leaves a wife but no 
children. The funeral took place at 
the North Afton church on Friday 
afternoon, Oct. 10. His pastor. Rev. 
George Boler, preached the sermon 
and his comrades of the G. A. R. 
bore his remains to the cemetery 
near by where they were committed 
to the dust. 



White 

A few hours later the community 
was again saddened to hear that 
Vincent White had passed away. 
He had been in poor health for over 
a year and his death was not alto- 
gether a surprise. He had been a 
resident of this place for many 
years and carried on the business of 
harness maker with honesty and 
ability, and was held in high estima- 
tion by the community. Mr. White 
was a consistent member of the 
Second Congregational church of 
Coventry. He leaves a wife and four 
grown up sons to mourn him. 

Seymour 

Josiah Seymour, born and brought 
up, married and lived here till mid- 
dle age, was one of Coventry's prom- 
inent men. Always quiet and in- 
offensive, with a good word for all. 
He left farming and moved to Bain- 
bridge, working in the foundry for 
several years. He was the inventor 
of the Seymour plow that was so 
popular several years ago. He died 
at Port Jervis. His remains were 
brought back here for interment. 

Converse 

Mrs. Alvin Converse, a former 
resident of this town, but late of 
Bainbridge, was buried at Coventry 
Jan. 12. 

Beechei- 

Dr. Harris H. Beecher was born 
in Coventry, Nov. 21, 1820. His 
father. Parson Beecher, was one of 
the early pioneers of the county, 
having removed from Salem, Conn., 
now Naugatuck, to Coventry in 
1806. In January, 1808, Parson 
Beecher was united in marriage 
with Margaret Porter and began life 
in a log house; later he built the 
first frame house upon what was 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



89 



known at the "Livingston tract," 
and the first between Bainbridge 
and Greene. Here Dr. Beecher was 
born and spent his boyhood days. 
Having suffered an injury, which 
produced long and painful lameness, 
he found himself incapiaciated from 
manual labor, and at the age of 
sixteen entered Oxford Academy for 
a course of study. He remained at 
Oxford for four years, teaching at 
intervals. He then took up the 
study of medicine and first read 
with local practioners and then go- 
ing to Binghamton entered the 
office of Dr. Davis, later of Chicago 
and one of the most eminent mem- 
bers of the medical profession in 
the world. Later he graduated from 
the medical college at Castleton, Vt., 
and in 1848, settled in North Nor- 
wich and began practice. He was 
eminently successful in his profes- 
sion and soon had a large and lucra- 
tive ride. He became very popular 
with his fellow townsmen and was 
elected to various town offices. He 
was superintendent of schools for a 
number of years and in 1859 repre- 
sented the town on the Board of 
Supervisors. Before the Civil war 
Dr. Beecher was a Democrat in poli- 
tics, but when the first shot was 
fired on Port Sumpter, he promptly 
responded to the call of patriotism 
and announced himself on the side 
of the Union. He became active in 
advancing the cause of the North 
both by speeches and by urging men 
to enlist, and in 1862 decided to 
enter the ranks of the army. He 
offered his services to Governor 
Seymour and after a successful pass- 
ing the required examination was 
commissioned assistant surgeon and 
assigned to the 114th Regiment, N. 
Y. Volunteers. Dr. Beecher went to 
the front with his regiment and by 



his assidious attention and sympa- 
thetic heart won the esteem of all 
the boys. Said a veteran of the reg- 
iment to the writer, when it was 
known that Dr. Beecher could not 
survive, "there was no man in the 
regiment more universally loved 
than he." After the regiment went 
to Louisiana he was ordered by Gen- 
eral Banks to take charge of the U. 
S. Marine General Hospital at New 
Orleans. Here he remained for 
nine months and when he left to 
enter upon the Red River cam- 
paign, was presented with an ele- 
gant gold headed cane and other 
valuable tokens of appreciation by 
the soldiers for whom he had cared. 
From ,that time on he was conti- 
uously in active service and in the 
Shenandoah Valley was the only 
medical officer with his regiment. 
He returned with the 114th and 
then decided to locate in Norwich. 
He gave his time to his profession 
and literary work. Desiring the 
noble deeds of his brave comrades 
should be perpetuated, he wrote and 
published a "Record of the 114th 
Regiment, N. Y. S. V.," which made 
a work of nearly 600 pages and is 
conceded to be one of the best regi- 
mental histories ever written. Dur- 
ing his residence in Norwich, Dr. 
Beecher was one of the best known 
and most popular citizens of the 
town. He was foremost in every- 
thing that pertained to the public 
good. He was made a trustee of the 
Norwich Academy and president of 
the board. He took much interest 
in everything that had to do with 
soldiers, and was one of the charter 
members of Smith Post, G. A. R. 
It was through his instrumentality 
that Memorial Day was first observ- 
ed in Norwich. He also suggested 
the organization of the 114th regi- 



90 



lllSTOUY OF THK TOWN OF COVFXTRY 



mental association and became its 
corresponding secretary, an office he 
held at his death. At the reunions 
he was ever a prominent figure and 
contributed in a large measure to 
their success. In later years his 
favorite project was a soldiers' mon- 
ument, towards which he stood 
ready to give $500.00, but he never 
succeeded in overcoming the indif- 
ference of the public. He succeeded 
the late George W. Avery. M. D., 
as pension examiner and when a 
board was organized was made its 
president. He held the place till the 
advent of President Cleveland, when 
he gave way to men of Democratic 
faith. He was reappointed to the 
office and would have entered upon 
the duties had his health permitted. 
In 1874 he was elected Member of 
Assembly from Chenango and serv- 
ed on the committees on public 
health and joint library. While in 
the Assembly he made an able 
speech in which he advocated the 
cause of compulsory education. In 
his profession he ranked high and 
filled various offices in the Chenango 
County Medical Society. He was also 
a member of the State Society and 
of the New York Central and Ameri- 
can Medical Association. He was an 
ornate and ready writer and gave 
many carefully prepared lecturea 
and addresses on medical, agricul- 
tural, scientific and political sub- 
jects. His last public appearance as 
a speaker was when he gave an ad- 
dress of welcome to Capt. Harrison 
Clark on his return from the State 
encampment at Binghamton, where 
he was elected State Commander. 
Dr. Beecher never married. At his 
death he was survived by three 
brothers, Daniel and Hector Beecher 
of Coventry, and Harry Beecher of 
Norwich, and two sisters, Mrs. Hoyt 



of Pittston, Pa., and Mrs. Yale of 
Binghamton. Genial, affectionate 
and cultivated in his taste, he was a 
true friend and a valued citizen. On 
Sunday morning at seven o'clock, 
July 14, 18 89, calm and peacefully 
he passed from the ills and cares, 
and troubles of life into the rest of 
eternity in the 68th year of his age. 

Simeon VV. Wai-i-en 

Simeon was the youngest son of 
Woodward Warren and was born in 
the town of Coventry, Chenango Co., 
N. Y., in 1830, at which place his life 
was spent until the removal of the 
family ,to Bainbridge in 1868. He 
joined the First Congregational 
Church at Coventryville in the year 
1862, and July 4, 1864, was united 
in marriage to Sarah A., only daugh- 
ter of Deacon John Stoddard of that 
place. For a long time his health 
had been gradually failing and hop- 
ing by change of scene and climate 
to regain it, the winter of 1885, 
was spent in Florida, with some im- 
provement but during the summer 
and autumn after his return, the 
troublesome cough returned and 
pain increased, until hoping to es- 
cape the changes and severity of our 
northern winter he again accompan- 
ied by Mrs. Warren sought the more 
genial climate, hoping for renewed 
health and strength. But in vain; 
weakness and prostration increased 
until the one great desire remaining 
to himself, and her who with sad 
and anxious heart attended him, was 
to reach home once more. They 
rame the eleventh of May, and the 
nineteenth he was assisted to the 
room which he never left again until 
the wasted silent form was borne 
by others, thus lingering but a few 
weeks after his return ere he pass- 
ed to thp hind where no shadow or 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



91 



pain or weariness falls. All his 
life free from those pernicious hab- 
its many acquire and Indulge in, 
we only wish his example might be 
Imitated. Of pleasant conversation- 
al powers and gentlemanly bearing, 
he ever chose to mingle with those 
of cultivated tastes, and being an 
ardent lover of music, found in it 
a source of never failing enjoyment. 
Many besides kindred hearts were 
touched with sorrow at the tidings 
of his death, and instinctively re- 
call past hours, when other voices 
joined his in pleasant evening gath- 
erings. As a teacher of music he 
was highly competent and earnest, 
aiming to improve those under his 
instruction. And for many years 
led the choir and then to give ex- 
pression to the sentiments as to 
bring out as he would often say 
"the soul of the words and music." 
The members of the choir and Sun- 
day school, who for many years he 
was a leader, ever gratefully remem- 
ber his labors with them, and the 
few of his early friends in the "long 
ago," so often sang with him, hope 
through a Saviour's intercession to 
meet beyond the storms and changes 
of time, in the land of eternal light 
and beauty, and join them in per- 
fect song. At Bainbridge, N. Y., 
July 26, 1886, he passed to his last 
resting place, aged 56 years. His 
remains were taken to Coventryville, 
and buried with his kindred dead. 
As the casket was lowered into the 
grave amidst the evergreens and 
flowers hearts echoed these beauti- 
ful lines: 

"There is a calm for those who 
weep, 

A rest for weary pilgrims found; 
They softly lie and sweetly sleep, 

Low 'noath the ground." 
Or. Win. H. Beavdsley 



Dr. Wiliaml H. Beardsley was 
born in Butternuts, Otsego Co., 
N. Y., in 1818. After preparing 
himself for his profession he came 
to Coventry and bought out Dr. 
Prentiss in 1846, living in the vil- 
lage and practicing till 1869, when 
he removed to a farm three miles 
south of Coventry and practiced 
there till his death, which occurred 
in 1886, in the 68th year of his 
age. He stood high in his profes- 
sion, and in 1859-60 was President 
of the Medical Society of Chenango 
County, where his skill was Well 
known and appreciated and where 
he stood high as a citizen in all the 
walks of life. He was a consistent 
member of the Methodist Church 
and exemplified his faith by his con- 
tributions and works and his in- 
terest in the cause of religion and 
good morals in the community in 
which he lived. His wife was Miss '^ 
Ca,therine Phelps, an estimable -' 
Coventry lady who with four sons 
were left to mourn a devoted hus- 
band, a kind and indulgent father. 
The legacy of a good name and of 
good deeds were to them and bereav- 
ed friends, a source of comfort and 
consolation. It is said over forty 
carriages followed the remains of 
the beloved physician to the ceme- 
tery near his old residence in Cov- 
entry where he located forty years 
before. 

Romeo Warren 

Romeo Warren was born at Wa- 
tertown, Conn., Jan. 7, 1799, and at 
an early age removed to Coventry 
where he spent the greater portion 
of his life. He married Miss Lucy 
Lewis Nov. 6, 1822, with whom, if 
he had survived a few days longer 
he would have lived sixty-one years. 
He was emphatically a self made 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OP COVKNTRY 



a capital of energy, integrity and 
perseverance, he accumulated a fair 
fortune and won his way to the es- 
man. Commencing life with only 
teem and confidence of his fellow 
men. He held at times several of- 
fices of trust and responsibility. In 
185 2 he was elected sheriff of Che- 
nango county, and in 1866-7, he 
was a member of the State Legisla- 
ture. In both of these, as well as 
supervisor of his town, he discharg- 
ed his duties with great credit to 
himself and the general satisfaction 
of the people. For nearly half a 
century he was a member of the Sec- 
ond Congregational Church of Cov- 
entry, and in his death which oc- 
curred Oct. 25, 1883, in his 84th 
year, that society lost one of its 
staunchest adherents. Thus pass- 
ed away not only one of the oldest 
residents of the county, but one 
who was universally respected and 
esteemed. 

Deacon Thaddeus Hoyt 

Deacon Thaddeus Hoyt died in 
Coventry, N. Y., March 21. 1867, 
aged 67 years. Seldom does the 
Church part with a more devoted, 
honored Christian brother. He was 
what the world so much needs, em- 
inently a Godly man, a strict con- 
scientious Christian possessing 
largely the grace of charity and one 
whose life a steady light, and whose 
piety honored his Saviour. He left 
the companion of his youth and ten 
children, all professed followers of 
Jesus; one a minister of Christ, and 
three deacons in the church. Surely 
his life work was well done. Infirm 
in body, suffering painfully from 
disease and ripe in Christian ex- 
perience, he might well exclaim, 
"Go and dig my grave today. 



Homeward doth my journey tend; 
And I lay my staff away 

Here, when all thing earthly end; 
And I lay my weary head 

In the only painless bed." 

Miss Mary Kales 

In Coventry. Dec. 3. 1887, Miss 
Mary Kales, daughter of Hon. Wil- 
liam Kales, died suddenly of paraly- 
sis of the brain. The funeral was at- 
tended on the following Sunday af- 
ternoon at the home of her brother- 
in-law, A. V. Tallman. Her father, 
Hon. William Kales, had gone west 
on a visit to spend the winter, and 
being very aged, his infirmities did 
not allow him to come home to the 
funeral. For some years Miss 
Kales held the office of post-mistress 
of Coventry and discharged the du- 
ties of the office with ability and 
fidelity. She left many friends to 
mourn her loss. 

Hiram Blakeslee 

Hiram Blakeslee, a life long res- 
ident of this town and a farmer in 
the southeast part, well known in 
this community, died of congestion 
of the lungs. He was well advanc- 
ed in years and had been in poor 
health for some time. 

Mrs. Henry Stoddard 

In Coventryville. Dec. 10, 1890, 
aged 70 years, the mother of J. H. 
Stoddard, who was so well known 
in this section passed away after 
suffering a severe and protracted 
illness. 

Mrs. Duncan Parker 

In Coventryville, Dec. 18. 1860, 
Mrs. Eliza Parker, wife of Duncan 
Parker, died very suddenly. Appar- 
ently in usual health she was play- 
ing and singing at the organ, when 
she stopped and complained of not 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



93 



feeling well. No one was present 
but her husband and in spite of his 
frantic efforts to give her relief, she 
died in a few moments. 

Lucius Manwarring' 

At Coventry, Nov. 8, 1895, Lucius 
Manwarring, an old and respected 
resident of this town, entered into 
his reward and his funeral was 
held at his late home Monday, Nov. 
11. For upwards of sixty years 
he had been a faithful member of 
the Second Congregational Church 
at Coventry, and he was ever ready 
to help the poor and needy, and vis- 
it the sick. He had been a patient 
sufferer for a long time and had 
reached the ripe old age of seventy- 
eight years. He left one daughter, 
Mrs. Sanford, of Binghamton, and 
his wife, who had so patiently car- 
ed for him during his long illness. 

Mrs. Anianda M. Judd 

Died, in North Afton, Feb. 1, at 
the home of her daughter, Mrs. 
Marcus Wrench, Mrs. Amanda M. 
Judd, aged 70 years. Mrs. Judd 
had been for several years a suf- 
ferer from various infirmities which 
in the more recent months gave rise 
to serious nervous derangement. 
In her last sickness, Mrs. Wrench 
was assisted in the care of her moth- 
er by Mrs, J. Shaw of Buffalo, a 
foster sister. Mrs. Judd was a 
native of Coventry, where she has 
always lived. Funeral services 
were held at the M. B. Church, con- 
ducted by Rev. R. C. Lansing of 
Coventryville. Mrs. Judd was sur- 
vived by a husband, Joel Judd, who 
was in extreme age and physical in- 
firmity. 

Beecher 

In Coventry, March, 27, 1893, 
Mrs. Betsey J., wife of Daniel 



Beecher, Esq., aged 67 years. 

Mrs. Frances Pliillips 

Mrs. Frances Phillips, second wife 
of James Phillips, of Coventry, a 
very estimable and highly respected 
lady, a devout and sincere Chris- 
tian, for many years a member of the 
Second Congregational Church of 
Coventry and one much beloved by 
all that knew her, a kind neighbor, 
always ready to visit the sick and 
lend a helping hand, passed beyond 
this mortal life, after a short ill- 
ness, at her home in Greene, Jan. 
23, 1912. Her remains were brought 
to Coventry and buried by the side 
of her husband, who passed over 
about twelve years before. 

Mrs. Samuel Martin 

Mrs. Roxie E., widow of the late 
Samuel Martin of Coventry, died 
at the daughter's, where she made 
it her home in Greene, July 28, 
1903, aged 76 years. Her funeral 
was held on Thursday, at her home 
and her remains were brought to 
Coventry for burial. She leaves one 
daughter, Mrs. William Kelley, to 
mourn her departure. Mr. Martin's 
people were, before his death, life 
long residents of Coventry. 

Dickinson 

Mrs. Lucretia E. Dickinson, for- 
merly Miss Lucretia Scott, who was 
born in Coventry in February, 1832, 
died in Angola, Ind., Feb. 26, 1902, 
aged 69 years. 

>Irs. Maria Hatch 

Mrs. Maria Hatch, formerly Miss 
Maria Hungerford, was born in 
Watertown, Conn., in or near the 
year 1805. She came to this 
country with her parents in the year 
1812. Her girl and youthful days 
were spent in Coventry. At an early 



9U 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



age she commenced teaching school 
and taught a good many years. 
After getting along in years she 
married Moses Hatch of Kattleville. 
where she lived until his death, 
which occurred in 1869 or 1870. 
She had one son, named Moses, who 
died in early youth. Soon after she 
came to Coventry and ilved with her 
sister, Mrs. Susan Judd, until her 
death which was in 1884, after 
which she made it her home wi,th 
her nephew, Chauncey D. Hunger- 
ford, until her death, which occur- 
red Dec. 15, 189 — . In her younger 
days she united with the church and 
has always been a faithful member. 
A large number of relatives and 
friends gathered at the home of C. 
D. Hungerford to attend her funeral 
and to pay the last respect ,to the 
departed sister in Christ. Rev. J. J. 
Henry officiated. The departed was 
an estimable woman and held in 
high esteem by all who knew her. 
Much credit is due the M. E. choir 
for the fine music rendered, and as 
one looked upon that face for the 
last .time they could say "not dead, 
but sleeping." Her deeds are her 
memorial. 

Passing away like the dew of the 
morning. 
Soaring from earth to its earth in 
the sun; 
Thus would she pass from the earth 
and its toiling, 
Only remembered by what she had 
done. 
Why should our tears in sorrow 
When God returns his own. 

Albeit Stoddard 

Tn the death of Albert Stoddard, 
which occurred at his home Monday 
evening, the community loses a man 
who has always been held in high 
esteem by all those who knew him. 
For nearly 80 years Mr. Stoddard 



has been a resident of this town, 
and during tha,t time has held many 
offices of honor and trust. At an 
early age he united with the First 
Congregational church, of which he 
has since been a faithful member. 
For many years he held the office 
of Deacon of the church, until fail- 
ing health compelled him to remain 
much at home. 

Mrs. Eniiline Hunt 

Mrs. Erailine Hunt passed peace- 
fully away Monday, Sep,t. 28, 1903, 
at the home of her eldest daughter, 
Mrs. E. H. Wheeler, after suffering 
intensely from injuries received in 
an accident a few days previous, 
while returning home from the Af- 
ton fair, Sept. 25, with her daughter 
and son-in-law. The funeral was 
largely attended Wednesday, Rev. A. 
Mclntyre officiating, and prayer also 
being offered by Rev. Oscar Beards- 
ley of Oxford. Intermen,t was made 
in the Coventryville cemetery by the 
side of her husband, N. G. Hunt, 
who preceeded her to the other 
shore four years before. Mrs. Hunt 
had passed the 80th milestone in 
life's journey a few weeks ago and 
how little it was thought ,to be her 
last birthday on earth. But again 
we are reminded of the uncertainty 
of life. Mrs. Hunt was of keen in- 
tellect, was tenderly devoted to her 
family, was a kind neighbor and 
friend, and her cheery, helpful and 
loving presence will be missed in 
various homes and from ^the gather- 
ings, social and religious, in all of 
which she had an active interest. 
The deceased is survived by a son. 
Prank Hunt of Newark, N. Y., a son, 
D. N. Hunt of Coventry and two 
daughters, Mrs. E. H. Wheeler and 
Mrs. R. W. Parsons, both of Cov- 
(-ntry. 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



95 



Matthew Hoyt 

Matthew S. Hoyt was born in 
1819. If he was not born in this 
(town he came here very young. He 
was a thrifty farmer, and one of 
those hustling men that made farm- 
ing a success and a good reward for 
his labors. He was a man of prom- 
inence and made a success of all he 
undertook to do, holding many town 
offices. He early united with the 
Second Congregational church of 
Coventry, of which he was a consis- 
tent member all his life, and for 
many years was deacon. He died 
Jan. 14, 1891, aged 72 years. 

Thomas Tiift 

Thomas Tifft was born in Little- 
ton, N. H., in 1829. Most undoubt- 
edly his boyhood and youthful days 
were spent there, and his education 
received there. When a young man 
we find him working in Millbury, 
Mass. In Millbury, in 1851, he was 
united in the holy bonds of wedlock 
with Miss Elizabeth A. Parker of 
Coventry, N. Y., and he came to the 
Parker homestead where Ray Park- 
er now lives. He built |the house 
where Ray Parker now lives, but It 
stood north some little distance on 
the east side of the road. He after- 
ward sold that and bought the first 
farm south of Ray Parker's, long 
known as the Thomas Tifft farm. 
He built the barn that now stands 
there and built the house also. He 
lived there a good many years. 
Some time in his life he lived in 
Guilford a few years. He finally 
moved to the village and lived there 
the remainder of his life. He was a 
member of the Baptist church, I 
think, all of his life, one of )the 
foremost workers and a strong pillar 
in that church. He was a good 
neighbor, sociable and kind, always 



full of fun, well beloved and respect- 
ed by all who knew him. They had 
two sons and two daughters, all liv- 
ing but one daughter. He quietly 
passed away Nov. 26, 1910, and was 
buried in the village cemetery. His 
wife has since been buried by his 
side. 

John Niven 

On Friday afternoon, Feb. 28, 
1902, occurred the death of an o!ld 
and respected townsman, John Niv- 
en, aged 83 years. For nearly 60 
years Mr. Niven had been a resident 
of the town, and lived for over 50 
years on the farm where he died. 
He was always an honest, upright 
man and had the esteem of all who 
knew him. His wife died some 25 
years previous. He was survived by 
his son, George, who has always 
lived on the home farm, and one 
daughter, Mrs. Ella Truesdell, both 
of Coventry. George Tyler Niven, 
his son, died Jan. 3, 1911, aged 57 
years. Mr. Niven had not been in 
good health for several years, but 
had not given up work un,til the last 
of October when he had a severe ill- 
ness and for several days it was 
thought he could not recover. But 
after a little he commenced to re- 
gain his health. At Christmas time 
he was able to ride out and the 
prospeCit looked good for many 
years of life for him. But a few 
days later he commenced to fail, and 
failed rapidly till the end came. He 
was highly respected by all who 
knew him, a kind neighbor and a 
true friend. He always lived on the 
farm where he was born. He was 
married to Miss Sarah Allen, who 
survives him. He was also survived 
by two daughters, Mrs. Arthur Hunt, 
who now lives on the homesetead, 
and Miss Edna Niven: also one sis- 



96 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



ter. Mrs. Ella Truesdell of Coventry. 

Chauncey S. Williams 

Chaunoey S. Williams was born in 
Coventry, Sep,t. 1, 1843. His young- 
er days were spent here. His edu- 
cation was acquired in the schools 
of this town. He lived here till he 
was about 25 years old and then 
went west and was gone five years 
in Wisconsin, and then came back, 
and in the year 1878 was united to 
Miss Calista H. Hutchinson in the 
holy bands of wedlock, and lived in 
ithe village of Coventry the rest of 
his life. In his early manhood he 
united with the Second Congrega- 
tional church of Coventry, of which 
he was a faithful member up to the 
time of his death, which occurred 
Jan. 31, 1912, in the 66th year of 
his age. He never enjoyed good 
health, but still he was not con- 
fined to the house bu^t a few days to 
a time, with the exception of two or 
three sick spells until the last two 
winters when he was not able to be 
out for a long time each winter. 
He was na,turally a quiet man nearly 
always at home, a man highly es- 
teemed and well beloved by all who 
knew him. He was a good worker 
and a strong pillar in the church. 

Calista Hutchinson 

Calista Hutchinson, wife of 
Chauncey S. Williams, was born 
Jan. 26, 1827, in Coventry. She was 
the daughter of Zenas and Electa 
Hutchinson. Her youthful days 
were spent in this place, her educa- 
tion was received here, and in her 
youthful days she joined |the Second 
Congregational church and lived a 
consistent member all her life. She 
was a very amiable woman and 
much loved by all who knew her. 
She never enjoyed good health and 



for the last year or more her health 
was very poor. She died Dec. 10, 
19 01, aged 72 years. 

T. 1). Paikei- 

Timothy D. Parker was born in 
Coventry in 1834. He had been a 
life long resident of this town. He 
lived with his father on the old 
homestead. As he has been spoken 
of once in this book we will not say 
but a few words here. He died 
Sept. 20, 1809, aged 75 years. 

Mrs. Matilda Minor 

Mrs. Matilda Minor passed quietly 
away Sept. 24, 1910, a,t the age of 95 
years, at the home of her son, Alan- 
son Minor, where she had lived over 
60 years. The deceased hed been a 
faithful member of the First Con- 
gregational church for seventy- 
eight years, and had for some time 
previous ,to her death been connect- 
ed with the church the longest of 
any of its present members. Mrs. 
Minor was born in Connecticut, Feb. 
12, 1815, and at the age of three 
years moved with her parents, Ithuel 
Blake and wife, and resided for a 
number of years on their farm one 
mile south of the village. Her first 
home in those early pioneer days 
was a log house. In 1837, she mar- 
ried Frederic Minor, and a few years 
later they moved to the farm which 
has been the Minor homestead ever 
since. He husband died 35 years 
previous. A few years later she 
lost her eyesight as the result of 
cataracts and during all the years 
of widowhood and blindness, and in 
later years of gradually fading facul- 
ties, both physical and mental, she 
had been exceptionally and lovingly 
cared for at the home by her son 
and family. She was survived by 
one brother, Alanson Hlake, of Eau 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



97 



Claire, Wis., who was about ninety 
years of age, and by two sisters, 
Mrs. Sybil Hathaway of Cannons- 
ville, and Mrs. Wealthy Horton of 
Bainbridge, and by a son, Alanson 
Minor, and a daughter, Mrs. F. C. 
Pearsall, all of this place; and by 
eleven grandchildren and fifteen 
great grandchildren. She lost a 
daugh(ter, Mrs. Amasa Hathaway, 
several years ago. The deceased 
was a woman of strong physical 
constitution and strong Christian 
character, and was always interest- 
ed and enthusiastic in the welfare 
and advancement of the church and 
all religious and uplifting influence, 
and ever in the family was loving 
and patient, and thoughtful of 
others and forgetful of self, and en- 
deavoring in every way to be help- 
ful to those around her. Her death 
took from the village one who has 
been for years a valued and highly 
esteemed resident. She belonged to 
a family line that have been ac,tive 
in the Congregational church. Her 
grandfather, Benjamin Benedict, 
was one of the original members of 
the church organized over a hun- 
dred years ago and he was later 
elected deacon. Her father, Ithuel 
Blake, was for many years deacon; 
and the name of Deacon Blake and 
his sterling qualities are kindly re- 
membered by the older inhabi,tants. 
Her brother, Alanson Blake, was 
also a deacon and an influential 
member of the church; and her son, 
Alanson Minor, has served in the 
same capacity, thus being a repre- 
sentative of the fourth generation 
since ,the organization of the church. 

Mrs. Catherine T. Beardsley 

Mrs. Catherine T. Beardsley, wife 
of Dr. William H. Beardsley, was 
born in 1826, in the town of Cov- 



entry. Mrs. Beardsley had reached 
nearly the four score mark (79 
years) of useful life in the most 
eventful period in the history of the 
world. She was a faithful wife, a 
devoted mother, an earnest, consist- 
en,t Christian through most of her 
life and for more than thirty years 
was a member of the Coventry M. E 
church. The good example she set 
in her all her life was a lamp to the 
feet of all who knew her, and shed 
its light like a halo over her de- 
clining years. She left four sons to 
mourn her loss: William B. and 
Cory L. Beardsley of this town, 
Frank Beardsley of Cazenovia and 
James Beardsley of Manilla, P. I., 
where he has a posi|tion as engineer 
in the employ of the United States 
government. Mrs. Beardsley passed 
away in 1905, aged 79 years. 

W. H. Benedict 

The death of W. H. Benedict takes 
from our midst another one who has 
been a life long resident and one of 
Coventryville's most highly respect- 
ed citizens and a kind neighbor and 
friend. He was a member of ,the 
First Congregational church about 
60 years, and was repeatedly elected 
deacon, and for about 20 years at 
one time and another. He was an 
unusually efficient superintendent of 
the Sunday school. For many years 
he was a very regular and helpful 
attendant at all ,the various Sunday 
morning and evening and midweek 
services, but owing to failing health 
and declining years he had been 
unable to be present as much of late 
years. He had been gradually fail- 
ing during the winter, having had an 
attack of grip and later being af- 
fected with heart trouble but more 
especially a general physical break- 
down. He had been able to be up 



98 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



around the house a portion of each 
day to the last. That he might be 
more conveniently cared for he was 
moved March 29 to the home of 
his daughter, Mrs. Shaw, on the 
farm adjoining. But Thursday 
morning on the old Benedict home- 
stead where he was born 81 years 
ago, he quietly fell "asleep in 
Jesus," as was sung at the funeral. 
He was survived by his widow, Mrs. 
Laniira Miles Benedict, who had 
been a loving and helpful companion 
along life's journey for 56 years; 
two daughters, Mrs. Leroy Shaw and 
Mrs. E. B. Matthewson; and a sister, 
Mrs. Erastus Ives, all of this place. 

.Mary W. Lockwoofl 

Mrs. Mary Waters Lockwood, 
whose death occurred on Feb. 20, 
was born in Coventry, N. Y., March 
7, 1832, and in that place grew up 
to womanhood. There too she was 
married on Oct. 14, 1857, to the late 
Rev. William Herbert Lockwood, at 
that time pastor of the village 
church. Not long after they moved 
to Lowville, N. Y., where jthey re- 
mained until 1864, when Mr. Lock- 
wood went to Wisconsin in response 
to a call to become pastor of the 
First Presbyterian church of Eau 
Claire. The next year Mrs. Lock- 
wood, and two children followed to 
make their home in what was then 
called the far west. In ,this new 
country they labored together until 
"the night came in which no man 
can work," and the impress of their 
Christian characters will remain a 
lasting tribute to the lives ithey led. 
They finished their work together, 
for scarcely two months after Mr. 
Lockwood was called home his lov- 
ing, grieving wife was stricken with 
paralysis and her active life was 
over, though for six years longer she 



was spared to her friends. When in 
the early morning the message came 
,that she had ceased to suffer and 
was at rest, a great wave of sorrow 
swept over many hearts. Not to the 
family alone, nor to the circle of 
intimate friends was she missed, but 
by the members of the church and 
Sabbath school and the old set,tler8, 
whose annual gatherings were once 
gladdened by her face and voice, and 
by the members of the Chautauqua 
Club, who read together many 
years and named their circle in her 
honor. The Lockwood Art and Trav- 
eling Club. Though she had suffer- 
ed long none thought the end so 
near, but it came even as she would 
have chosen, painlessly and without 
warning, a beautiful close to a beau- 
tiful Christian life. 

Reuben Rolf 

Reuben Rolf was born on Long 
Island in the year 1811 and lived 
there till near the year 1837. when 
he moved to Coventry and bought a 
large farm three miles south of the 
village. He was an enterprising, 
thorough going farmer. At one time 
he kept 100 cows and had a cheese 
factory of his own. He was mar- 
ried ,to Miss Esther Wood, who died 
March 14, 1836. Elizabeth Wood, 
his second wife, died Oct. 26, 1853, 
aged 43 years. He had one son, 
Moses, by his first wife and they lost 
some other child'-en. His taird wife 
was Minerva Phillips of Coventry, 
their union was blessed with two or 
three children. She died April 2, 
1896, aged 68 years. In 1869, Mr. 
Rolf sold his farm and moved with 
his family to Virginia, where he 
died .Tan. 11. 1879, aged 68 years. 

James Treadway 

.James Treadway was born in 
Connecticut in 1816. moved to Cov- 



HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY 



99 



eiiitry with his parents in 1824 and 
was a resident of this town until his 
death, which occurred in 1912. 

The following is a short poem 
written bj' Mrs. Cordelia Wilder, one 
of Coventry's poets, the last one she 
ever wrote. She was abou,t sick 
when she wrote it and said if she 
got better she would write another, 
but she never lived to write it. 

Shall Coventry's record be forgot, 
And never brought ,to mind; 

We'll have a thought of kindness 
yet 
For the days of auld lang syne. 

Let memory now turn back the 
scroll 

Of years and by gone days; 
And Coventry sure has struggled on 

And needs a word of praise. 

A busy thriving bustling town 
We look it o'er with pride; 

And count it ye,t as number one, 
A fact that's not denied. 



We have had our share of teachers 
great, 

And teachers wise in lore; 
And poets, too, come in our ranks, 

We cannot pass them o'er. 

Good, honest merchants come in line, 
They've served us well and long; 

And they in story or song 
Mus,t not be over looked. 

Go where you will in foreign lands, 
Where'er you chance to roam; 

And busy memory ever turns. 
To Coventry as the home. 

Dear Friends: I sincerely thank 
you, each one and all, in town and 
out, for any assistance you have 
given me in writing ithis history of 
the town of Coventry. As much of 
it had to be gleamed from the mem- 
ory of a few of the older inhabitants, 
the writer trusts that if some one 
sees errors therein they will kindly 
pardon. 

OLIVER P. JUDD. 



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